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WADLEIGH - BROWN - PLYMALE - BIXBY
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Plymale Surname
The meaning and linguistic origin of the Plymale surname is not known. In fact, we know nothing about this family before they were living in Virginia in the late 1700s. The first known record of anyone from this family was in 1780, when Michael Plymale (probably the brother of our ancestor) reenlisted in the Revolutionary War somewhere in Virginia. The "Plymale" spelling has been found in no European country, indicating that the name must be a corrupted spelling of some other European surname.
The traditional story among descendants is that two brothers sailed from Brittany, France to Virginia in about 1730 and that all Plymales descend from one of these brothers. The story though is doubtful and even if it holds true, they could have originated in some other European country and France would have merely been a gateway on their journey to America. Over time, it has been suggested that the Plymale name is English, French, German, Dutch or even Welsh; without research satisfying any claim.
The greatest likelihood is that our family is German in origin. Our Plymale ancestors probably came from the area of Bavaria in southern Germany or neighboring Bohemia (modern Czech Republic). We are likely connected to the name Pliemel (as spelled on a coat of arms in Bavaria in 1595), which has been spelled variantly in Europe as Bliemel, Plyml, Blumel, etc. In Europe today, the name is spelled Pliml, and is a very uncommon surname. The name itself is likely derived from the German word for flower: blume.
Landmarks and places in the United States named after the Plymale family:
Plymale Cemetery, Franklin County, Arkansas
Plymale Creek, Butts County, Georgia
Plymale Branch, Pike County, Kentucky
Plymale Branch, Wayne County, West Virginia
Plymale Branch Road, Wayne County, West Virginia
Plymale House, Jacksonville, Jackson County, Oregon
Plymale Road, Gallia County, Ohio
Plymale Road, Huddleston, Virginia
Plymale Road, Sreven, Wayne Co., Georgia
1st Generation:
Mr. Plymale was born circa 1710. He probably died in the mid or late 1700s in Virginia.
There is nothing known about this generation of Plymales. The traditional story that has been passed down is that two brothers came to Virginia from France. One brother returned to France, but the other [this man] settled in Virginia, apparently near what is now the city of Lynchburg. He married and raised a family, including the below children. Note that it is only a guess that the below individuals were siblings.
The most likely scenario is that the family originally came from Germany and arrived in the US through the port of Philadelphia. They may have lived briefly in Pennsylvania or Maryland before moving south to Virginia, following common migration patterns. They probably eventually settled somewhere in northern or central Virginia. The names of this man and his wife have not survived in any known record. Most likely he had died prior to the 1780s when his children reached adulthood and began marrying.
WARNING! Many online family trees provide a LOT of false or unverified information about this family. Many family trees provide his name as Boman, Bowman, or even Peter Boman. Many of them also provide his wife's name as Ada Virginia Woods or Lucinda Carmaletta Pike. There are no known contemporary records, published records, or even family histories that provide any name for this man or his wife. I have not heard anyone provide any evidence, logic or reasoning behind their theories. (The name "Ada Virginia" for his wife appears to derive from the fact that she was frequently listed as "A Virginia Lady" in earlier sources, and someone was likely confused about whether that was a name or an adjective for an unnamed person. Please use extreme caution when researching this family!
Other documented people that might connect to this family:
There was a Peter Bleymehl/Plymeal who was married to Magdalena and had children including John Michael (born in 1758), Margreth (probably born in the 1750s), Maria Elisabeth (born in 1771), and probably also Jacob (born circa 1764) and Barbara (born circa 1766). In 1759, they were in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Then between 1767 and 1774, they were in Loudoun County, Virginia; but made use of a German church over the state/county line in Frederick County, Maryland. Peter probably died between 1774 and 1777.
There was a widow named Dolly Plyman who remarried to Leonard Hire in 1799 in Randolph County, Virginia (now West Virginia). She had one known child from her first marriage, Jacob Plyman (1795-1887), who later lived in Braxton County, West Virginia. The identity of Dolly's first husband is unknown, but online family trees list him variously as Isaac or Jacob. Note that in 1793, a "Michael Plyman" was taxed in Randolph County, Virginia, and he was possibly the Michael Plymale below. Although the last names seem different, Plyman was a common spelling for many of our documented Plymales in early records.
There was a "Jacob Plymal" who was taxed in Franklin County, Virginia in 1789.
There was a Bowman family who lived in the same area as the Plymales during the late 1700s, including a Peter Bowman who lived in Patrick County, Virginia (where "Anne" Plymale was married in 1792). Perhaps the Plymales were related in some way to the Bowmans, which might explain the use of the Bowman/Boman name in modern family trees.
Mr. Plymale was married to an unknown woman. She probably died in Virginia.
They had the following children:
Warning! although it has long been accepted that the below people were siblings, there is nothing that proves their connection. The assumption seems to be that these people were siblings because they shared the same uncommon last name and lived in the same general geographic location at the same time. Aside from that circumstantial information, the only ones that had any documented connection with each other were John and Anthony (Anthony was a bondsman for John's 1791 marriage). However I do have 5 autosomal DNA matches with descendants of Michael Plymale and 13 matches with descendants of John Plymale, which gives more weight to Anthony, John and Michael being siblings (or at least close relatives).
1 Michael Plymale was born circa 1760 in Virginia. He died about 1818 in Lexington Co., South Carolina 1.
He was married first to Amy* Hudson on January 19, 1785 in Bedford Co., Virginia 1. She was born circa 1766 in Virginia and died after 1850, probably in Bedford Co., Virginia.
They had two known children:
Mary "Polly" Plymale (c. 1790-aft 1850)
Thomas Plymale (c. 1795-1853)
md. Martha Swain
He married second to Susanna Morona in about 1802 in Lexington County, South Carolina.
They had multiple children.
William Plymale (probably died young
Peter Plymale (c. 1804-aft. 1839)
md. Nancy?
Andrew Plymale (c. 1810-aft. 1880)
Barbara Plymale (c. 1810-aft. 1839)
Christian Plymale (c. 1812-aft. 1860)
md. Cara Martha Registry
Mary Ann Plymale (c. 1814-aft. 1839)
John Plymale (c. 1816-???)
Michael "Mike" Plymale (1819-1911)
md. Sarah Agnes Moore
Michael was the first person in the family to be named in any yet known record, when he re-enlisted in 1780 as a soldier in the American Revolution. The record does not indicate where he was living, but was somewhere in Virginia (probably in northern or western Virginia); as most other men in his regiment were from those parts of the state. Michael was next found in Bedford County, Virginia when he married there in 1785. Michael is said to have lived in Bedford County, Virginia until about 1800, when he abandoned his wife and children and moved to South Carolina, where he remarried. However there is no evidence that he lived in Bedford County, Virginia - nobody from the family appeared on any personal property tax list between 1785 and 1802. His wife and children did indeed live in Bedford County after 1817, but there is no evidence they had always been there. The Plymale Family in America also indicates that he lived near the North Carolina border. If that is true, then perhaps he was in a different Virginia County farther south; such as Patrick, Henry or Pittsylvania. In 1787, there was a "Michl. Plimell" taxed in Henry County, Virginia. In 1793, a "Michael Plyman" was taxed in Randolph County, Virginia (now West Virginia). If these were him, it suggests that he was in fact quite mobile while living in Virginia rather than settling in one place.
In 1792, in Patrick County, Virginia - an "Anney" Plymale requested permission to be married to Joseph Elliott. It has long been the assumption that this woman was Michael's sister, named Anne. Yet another possibility is that this was his wife Amy (her name as written in her 1785 marriage record "Amey" could easily be read as "Anney") Hudson. Perhaps Michael had already abandoned her and she was attempting to divorce/remarry?
Michael moved to South Carolina in about 1802. He married Susanna Morona (apparently becoming a bigamist) and raised several children. In 1810, he was enumerated in Edgefield County, South Carolina. He then apparently moved to Lexington County, South Carolina, where he died in about 1818/1819.
* On her marriage record, it is impossible to tell if the name is "Anney" or "Amey". In the 1850 census, the name looks clearly to be "Anne" (yet could also be "Ame"). However it appears she was named after her mother, Amy Ferguson Hudson. In her father's will on 1801, she was listed as Amy Plymale.
2 John Plimell was born on or about September 5, 1765 1, probably in Virginia. He died on March 3, 1849 in Deer Creek Twp., Madison Co., Ohio 1.
He married to Jane "Jinny" Esther Twiley on October 31, 1791 in Botetourt Co., Virginia 1. (She died on March 23, 1846 in Deer Creek Twp., Madison Co., Ohio 1.)
They the following children:
James Plymell (c. 1793-1837)
Anthony Plymell (1795-1858)
md. Sarah Salmon
Bethia Plymell (c. 1797-1875)
md. John Adair
Jane Plymell (c. 1799-1877)
md. John H. Clarno
John Plymell (1800-1877)
md. Winnie Lewis
Anna Plymell (c. 1803-1892)
md. 1st John Dooly
md. 2nd Thomas J. Brannen
Elizabeth Plymell (c. 1804-1895)
md. Mathias Furrow
Martha Plymell (c. 1805-aft. 1846)
md. James Brown
William Plymell (1810-1856)
md. Frances Helverson
John was documented as living in Botetourt County, Virginia between 1787 and 1792. In about 1792, he moved to Greenbrier County, Virginia (now part of Monroe County, West Virginia). There, they lived on Dropping Lick Creek and were documented continuously until 1807. Sometime between 1807 and 1810, John moved with his family to what is now Fayette County, Ohio. Then in 1816, they moved to neighboring Madison County, Ohio; where they remained.
3 Anthony Plymale
4 Elizabeth Plymale was born in Virginia.
She married William Davis on October 19, 1791 in Botetourt Co., Virginia 1.
It is not known if they had any children.
There is nothing known of Elizabeth besides her marriage. There was a William Davis documented in Montgomery County, Virginia between 1797 and 1803. There was also a William Davis in Kanawha/Cabell County, Virginia (West Virginia) between 1806 and 1810, and later. It is a guess that either (or both) of these could have been the same William Davis she married in 1791.
5 Anne Plymale was born in Virginia.
She probably married to Joseph Elliott on or after August 13, 1792 in Patrick Co., Virginia 1.
According to one source, "Anney" Plymale requested a license to marry Joseph Elliott on August 13, 1792 in Patrick County, Virginia. It has long been an assumption that her name was Anne/Anna and that she was a sibling of the original Plymale family. I have not checked the original records though to verify if there was a record if her request for a marriage license was granted and/or if she was ever married. There was a Joseph Elliott who appeared on personal property tax lists in Patrick County, Virginia in 1791 and 1792, but otherwise left no known trace there. If the marriage did take place, they probably moved away soon after.
A different possibility is that this person might have been the same person as Michael Plymale's wife Amy "Amey" (which could be read as "Anney"). See more information above under Michael.
6 James Plymale was born in Virginia. He died possibly in Tennessee.
Family history is that James moved out west and lived somewhere in Tennessee. There, he lived among Native Americans and married a Native American woman, but apparently left no children. James' name appears on no known contemporary record. It's a guess that James' name could have originally been Jacob (usually the German version of the name).
2nd Generation:
Anthony* Plymale was born circa 1766, possibly in Virginia**. He died sometime between 1827 and 1834 *** in Harrison (now Clay) Twp., Gallia Co., Ohio 1.
Father: Unknown Plymale
The traditional story is that soon after his marriage in 1789, Anthony settled on his parents' estate in Giles County, Virginia (along Spruce Run). Like many elements of the early Plymale family history, that story was false (or at least not entirely true). In reality, Anthony's parents probably died much earlier and also probably never lived in what is now Giles County. Instead of settling down soon after 1789, Anthony was actually very mobile and lived in at least three other locations before moving to Spruce Run in about 1811.
Anthony was first named in any record in 1787, when he was on the personal property tax list in Botetourt County, Virginia (and specifically described as under 21). There, he was possibly living with his siblings or other relatives. Anthony was married to Bethia Bowen on or soon after January 11, 1789 in Botetourt County, Virginia. After the marriage, they continued living in Botetourt County. Their location in the county is unknown, but they could have been in a part of the county that was later used to form other counties: Craig, Roanoke and Alleghany. Perhaps they were somewhere in the vicinity of his wife's parents, who lived on Craigs Creek (in what is now either Craig or Botetourt County). Anthony was on tax lists in Botetourt County in 1787, 1788, 1791 and 1792. He was next found in Greenbrier County, Virginia; where he was taxed in 1796 and 1797 and where he appeared in court records between 1796 and 1799. There, he probably lived near his brother John who had moved there in about 1792 and lived on Dropping Lick Creek in what is now Monroe County, West Virginia. Then in May 1799, Anthony was back in Botetourt County on a tax list. Probably later in 1799, Anthony moved to Montgomery County, Virginia (in the part of the county that became Giles County in 1806). He received a plat for 120 acres of surveyed land on Clover Hollow. Over the years, he continued to buy and sell land in what is now Giles County. He and his family apparently first lived on Clover Hollow, northeast of what is now the town of Newport in Giles County. There, they lived on land adjoining his father-in-law John Bowen. Then in about 1811, they moved a few miles away to land on Spruce Run, west of Newport. It was while living on Spruce Run that his wife Bethia died sometime between 1812 and 1816.
In 1816, Anthony remarried to a widow named Ann Criner. In August 1820, he sold his real estate in Giles County, Virginia. Contrary to the usual story though, they did not move to Ohio at that time. He moved to adjacent Montgomery County, Virginia, where he lived until 1824. There they apparently lived in the northeast part of the county; where they were not too far to their previous home in Giles County. He was on the personal property tax list for Giles County in 1821 and the tax lists for Montgomery County in 1823 and 1824. His daughter Magdalene was married in February 1824 in Montgomery County. Then sometime in 1824 he moved with some of his family (including his wife, if she was still alive, and his younger unmarried children) to Gallia County, Ohio. His daughter Tabitha was married there in December 1824 and he appeared on tax lists there, in Harrison Township, in 1826 and 1827. In 1826, while living in Ohio, Anthony sold two tracts of land that he still owned in Montgomery County, Virginia. After this he continued to own 2,300 acres of unusable land on Brush Mountain in Montgomery County. That land was eventually seized because of delinquent taxes and sold in 1843.
* Many online family trees indicate that his middle name was Wayne. THIS IS NOT TRUE. Anthony never used a middle initial or middle name in any contemporary record. He was also not identified with any middle name in any published record or family history. Moreover, the use of any middle name in the mid-1700s would have been very unusual, especially the name Wayne. The appearance of the middle name Wayne is relatively recent - probably coming from the recent decades, when family histories are improperly copy and pasted online and information is added without any research or source checking. The assumption seems to be that his two grandsons Anthony Wayne Plymale (1844-1912) and Anthony Wayne Plymale (1823-1889) were both named after him. In actuality, they were named after Revolutionary War hero General Anthony Wayne. Anthony Wayne was the namesake for Wayne County, West Virginia, which was formed in 1842 and was also indirectly responsible for much of the settlement of what is now Wayne County, West Virginia.
** Most family histories provide his birth place as various places in Virginia. The most prevalent suggestion is that he was born in the part of Botetourt County that is now Bedford County (which is silly, because Bedford County predated Botetourt). In reality, we have no idea where he was born; although somewhere in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia or in northern Virginia is a good educated guess. In the 1880 census (the first census where parents' birth places were listed) only two of his children were still alive: Anthony Jr. and Bethia. Anthony Jr. apparently didn't know his father's birth place (it was left blank) while Bethia provided her father's birth place as England. [Both children listed their mother's birth place as Virginia.] Although it's doubtful that he was born in England, both of these sources bring up the possibility that he was born somewhere outside of Virginia. In 1900, his supposed brother Michael's youngest son listed his father's birthplace as Maryland - a realistic possibility for a birthplace for Anthony and his siblings. (Note that the family of Peter Plymeal (see above) made use of a church in Frederick County, Maryland during the 1770s).
Anthony's birth date is also unknown. There are only two known sources that provide clues to his age. The 1787 tax list indicates he was under 21, which suggests he was born in 1766 or later. The 1810 census provides his age as 45 or older, which suggests he was born in 1765 or earlier. Given both of these, an intriguing possibility is that he could have been a twin of his brother John, who was born in September 1765.
*** Most family histories indicate that he died in about 1840 in Gallia County, Ohio and was buried in the Porter Family Cemetery in Gallia County, Ohio along with his second wife Ann. However I have not been able to find any evidence that Anthony was alive after 1827. In fact, he was specifically described as deceased in October 1834 (in a deed referencing property sold by Anthony to his son-in-law George Louks). Because he is absent from any known household in the 1830 census and any known tax list after 1827, my guess is that he died between 1827 and 1830, probably in 1827 or 1828. His son Hugh lived in the part of Harrison Township that became Clay Township in December 1830; Anthony probably died there.
Anthony was married first to Bethia Bowen on or soon after January 11, 1789 in Botetourt Co., Virginia 1.
1 Elizabeth "Betsey" Plymale was born on or about March 4, 1790 59 probably in Botetourt Co., Virginia. She died on October 6, 1876 59 in Readers Mill, Harrison Co., Iowa. She is buried in the Bethel Cemetery, Readers Mill, Harrison Co., Iowa.
She had a relationship with an unknown man.
They had one child:
Isaac Plymale (c. 1806-1888)
md. Mary "Molly" Rowe
By tradition, Elizabeth is said to have been the mother of Isaac Plymale (c. 1806-1888), who was born out of wedlock. But as many elements of the early Plymale stories have been unraveled and debunked, I question whether this was true. Isaac Plymale is said to have been raised by his grandfather Anthony Plymale. Sometime during the 1820s he moved to Pike County, Kentucky (where Theodosia Plymale Rowe and her family were then living) and there married Mary Rowe (niece of Theodosia's husband Thomas Rowe). Could Isaac actually have been the son of Theodosia rather than Elizabeth? Note that he is usually listed with the name "James Isaac Plymale", yet there is no evidence that he ever used the name James or initial "J".
She married to Joseph Rowe circa 1811 in Virginia. (He was born on January 7, 1789 in Botetourt (now Giles) Co., Virginia 47. He died on November 16, 1864 in Cameron, Warren Co., Illinois 47.)
They had nine children:
Polly Rowe (1812-???)
Margaret Rowe (1814-???)
Bathia Rowe (c. 1815-???)
md. Thomas Collins
Rice Rowe (c. 1819-???)
Caroline Rowe (1821-???)
James Plymale Rowe (1823-???)
Virginia Rowe (1825-???)
Elhanan Winchester Rowe (1828-???)
Joseph Duncan Rowe (c. 1832-???)
Elizabeth was married to Joseph Rowe (brother of her sister Theodosia's husband) probably sometime between 1810 and 1812. Joseph was taxed in Giles County, Virginia in 1810 and 1812. They moved away in or soon after 1812. They were apparently in nearby Greenbrier County, Virginia (now West Virginia) later in 1812. Their family moved quite often, and they may have inspired many of Elizabeth's younger siblings to also move out west. During the 1810s they lived somewhere in Kentucky, probably in Henry County. They had moved to southern Indiana by 1820; where they lived in the neighboring counties of Crawford and Perry. Then in the late 1820s they moved to northwest Illinois. They were first in Henry County before moving just across the county line to Knox County, Illinois in 1830. There, they were among the original settlers. Joseph is credited with being the first settler of Rio Township in Knox County. Over the years they lived in Rio Township and Galesburg Township before moving over the county line again, to Cold Brook Township in Warren County, Illinois. Joseph died there in 1864 and Elizabeth was still living there in 1870.
Sometime during the 1870s, Elizabeth moved to Harrison County, Iowa - where several of her children were living - and died there.
2 Theodosia Plymale was born circa 1792, probably in Botetourt Co., Virginia. She died sometime between 1840 and 1850 in Ohio or Virginia (now West Virginia).
She married to Thomas Rowe on August 25, 1809 in Giles Co., Virginia 1. (He was born circa 1789 in Virginia and died after 1860 in Wayne Co., Virginia (now West Virginia).
Cornelius Rowe (c. 1810-???)
md. Nancy Cottrell Lasley
Harrison Rowe (c. 1821-1840s)
md. Elizabeth
Jacob Thomas Rowe (c. 1822-1877)
md. Mary M. Gibson
William Rowe (c. 1822-1895)
md. Cynthia Ann Hazlett
Andrew Rowe (c. 1827-???)
Elizabeth Rowe (1829-1893)
md. William Hazlett
Sarah Rowe (1831-1882)
md. Stephen Rowe
Emeline Rowe (c. 1832-???)
md. Parker Lewis
There were likely other children that are currently unknown. Many family trees also indicate that Uriah Rowe (1842-1922) was their son, but he was actually their grandson (son of Harrison and Elizabeth).
Theodosia and her family lived in Giles County, Virginia between 1809 and 1813, but moved away soon after. They were next in Floyd County, Kentucky in 1820. They were then in neighboring Pike County, Kentucky in 1829 and 1830. Then by 1837, they had moved to Gallia County, Ohio, where they were living as late as 1841. Sometime between 1841 and 1843 they moved to what is now Wayne County, West Virginia. Theodosia died sometime between 1840 and 1850, it is unclear if she died in Gallia County, Ohio or Wayne County, West Virginia.
3 Mary Plymale was born circa 1795, probably in Botetourt Co., Virginia 29. She died after 1870 in Pulaski Co., Virginia.
She was married to George Louks on October 2, 1815 in Giles Co., Virginia 1. (He was born circa 1786 in Virginia and died on April 17, 1859 in Giles Co., Virginia 47.)
Sophia Louks (c. 1816-aft. 1880)
md. Mathias Kessinger
Elizabeth Louks (1817-1886)
md. George W. H. Sifford
Anthony Plymale Louks (1818-1900's)
md. 1st. Barbara Rowe
md. 2nd. Amanda Jane Brammer
unknown female Louks (c. 1821-???)
Catherine Louks (c. 1823-???)
md. Henry McCoy
Bethia Louks (c.1824-1870's)
md. Allen Simpson
Nancy L. Louks (c. 1826-???)
md. Adam Sifford
Emily Louks (1832-1918)
md. John Alexander Price
Susanna Louks (c. 1834-1890)
md. Francis M. Songer
Tabitha S. Louks (c. 1838-c. 1881)
md. George W. Long
Mary and her husband lived in Giles County almost continuously between 1815 and 1859 (except for 1848-1850 when they were in Montgomery County). After her husband's death, Mary moved to Pulaski County, Virginia to live with her daughter Elizabeth. She probably died there.
4 John Plymale was born on November 15, 1795 in Virginia 1. He died on August 4, 1872 in Wayne Co., West Virginia 1.
He was married first to Rebecca Ferguson on December 19, 1819 in Wayne Co., Virginia (now West Virginia) 1. (She was born between 1794 and 1804 in Virginia and died in 1828 in Wayne Co., Virginia (now West Virginia) 1.)
Clarinda Plymale (c. 1820-c. 1855)
md. Daniel Vaughan
Bethia Plymale (1822-1897)
md. William Grant
Anthony Wayne Plymale (1823-1889)
md. 1st. Permelia Chadwick
md. 2nd. Malinda Swanson Forbess
Josephine Plymale (1824-1874)
md. Joseph Blaine Malcolm
Rebecca Plymale (1826-1892)
md. Josephine Blaine Malcolm
John had a relationship with Permelia "Melia" Blankenship.
Emmasetta Blankenship (1829-1903)
md. 1st John W. Porter
md. 2nd James W. Brown
John married second to Lourana Shelton on September 1, 1833 in Wayne Co., Virginia (now West Virginia) 1.
Virginia S. Plymale (1834-1894)
md. William Ferguson
Napoleon Plymale (1835-1937)
John Butler Plymale (1837-1902)
md. Cynthia Moore
Anne Plymale (1839-1905)
md. James Ferguson
Guy Plymale (1840-1913)
md. 1st. Martha McKeand
md. 2nd. Addie Yates
Octavian Cromwell Plymale (1842-1920)
md. Marietta Perdue
Indiana Plymale (1845-1914)
md. William Billups
Francis Marion Plymale (1846-1907)
md. Mary Burge
Hugh Plymale (1848-1925)
md. Sarah Drusilla Drown
Millard Filmore Plymale (1849-1882)
md. Ella McComas
Lourana Plymale (1852-1866)
Sarah "Sack" Plymale (1854-1934)
md. St. Clair Roberts
Mary "Polly" Plymale (1857-1949)
md. Robert Roberts
Jefferson Davis Plymale (1860-1938)
md. 1st. Pauline Wilcox
md. 2nd. Henritta Hensley
John left home and moved out west to Cabell County, Virginia (now Wayne County, West Virginia). He was first documented there in 1816 and remained there continuously until his death.
5 William B. Plymale was born circa 1797 in Virginia. He died on June 25, 1863 in Potts Creek, Alleghany Co., Virginia 1.
He was married to Elizabeth Paxton on February 12, 1824 in Botetourt Co., Virginia 1. (She was born circa 1806 in Virginia 29 and died on July 25, 1869 in Potts Creek, Alleghany Co., Virginia 1.)
James Gray Plymale (c. 1826-aft. 1900)
md. 1st Amanda Jane Persinger
md. 2nd Louvicia Boon
Rebecca Bethia Plymale (c. 1829-1900)
md. William Henry Helmintoller
Sarah Ann Plymale (1832-1894)
md. William Craft
Thomas John Plymale (1835-1910)
md. Sarah Frances Huddleston
William C. Plymale (c. 1837-1877)
md. Mary Jane Powell
Virgil Stewart Plymale (1838-1887)
md. Sarah Rebecca Craft
George William Plymale (1842-1877)
Nancy Elizabeth Plymale (1844-1909)
md. Henry Jackson Clinebell
John Taylor Plymale (1846-1912)
Jenetta "Nettie" C. Plymale (c. 1849-1890)
md. George Washington Paxton
Emmaline K. Plymale (1853-1861)
William was living in Giles County, Virginia as late as 1820. He was next found in 1822 in Montgomery County, Virginia; he had probably moved there with his father and siblings. Then in 1824, probably after his marriage, he settled in neighboring Botetourt County, Virginia, where he lived for about 12 years. There, they were in the part of the county that became Craig County in 1851. Sometime between 1836 and 1839, he moved to neighboring Alleghany County, Virginia, where he settled on Potts Creek and remained until his death.
Many online family trees indicate that his middle name was Bowen. This was certainly possible, as Bowen was his mother's maiden name and he could have been named after her brother William Bowen. However William's middle name is not listed in any known record, although he did use the middle initial "B."
6 James Plymale was born on September 25, 1799 in Montgomery (now Giles) Co., Virginia 58. He died on December 31, 1867 in Arkansas Co., Arkansas 58.
He married Leanna Nelson on April 16, 1832 in Jefferson Co., Arkansas 58. She was born circa 1816 in Virginia and died after 1870, probably in Arkansas Co., Arkansas.
Mary D. Plymale (c. 1834-1850s)
md. Charles Washington Falloure
Joseph Plymale (c. 1847-1860s)
A. Plymale (c. 1853-1860s)
James' 1868 obituary clearly indicated his father's first name was Anthony and his mother's maiden name was Bowen. It provided his birth as September 25, 1799 in Montgomery County, Virginia. [This was only 7 months before April 4, 1800, the documented birth date of his younger brother Anthony. Perhaps one of those dates was wrong?] He was taxed in Giles County, Virginia in 1819 (along with his father and brother William). He was then taxed in Cabell County, Virginia in 1821 (along with his brothers John and Anthony), and then moved away. He moved to Arkansas in 1825 58. He was documented in Jefferson County, Arkansas between 1830 and 1860. In 1862, he moved to neighboring Arkansas County, Arkansas; where he lived in until his death. His widow remarried to Pinckney Bankston.
According to family history, he went to California during the Gold Rush of 1848. Sources suggest that James had "struck it rich" in California, but was robbed on his way back home, resulting in the loss of either fingers or his entire arm. Regardless of the specifics of the story, he had returned home to Arkansas by December 1850.
Many family histories indicate that he was married to a Mary and lived in Cabell County, Virginia between 1825 and 1839. But confusingly enough, that person was actually James T. Plymate (1788-1860) who was from New York and later lived in Iowa.
7 Anthony Plymale was born on April 4, 1800 in Montgomery (now Giles) Co., Virginia 1. He died on March 10, 1886 in Wayne Co., West Virginia 1.
He was married first to Mary Ferguson on June 10, 1824 in Cabell (now Wayne) Co., Virginia (now West Virginia) 1. (She was born in 1804 1 and died on May 13, 1882 in Wayne Co., West Virginia 1.)
Caroline Frances Plymale (1825-1845)
John B. Plymale (1827-1851)
md. Martha Ferguson
md. Thomas Ferguson
Luara Plymale (1831-1924)
md. John Chadwick
Alderson Plymale (1833-1889)
md. Adeline Chadwick
William Calvin L. Plymale (1835-1915)
md. Prudence Ferguson
Elizabeth Plymale (1837-1891)
md. William D. Haynie
Mary Plymale (1839-1929)
md. Anthony Wayne Smith
md. John Plymale Malcolm
md. 1st Rebecca Plymale
md. 2nd Lucinda Wilcox
Joanna Plymale (1846-1869)
Joseph Plymale (1848-1901)
md. 1st Nora Spangler
md. 2nd Georgia Miller
Anthony married second to Sarah Harmon on July 26, 1882 in Wayne Co., West Virginia 1.
Henry Cecil Plymale (1882-1964)
md. Laura Jones
Anthony moved to what is now Wayne County, West Virginia in about 1820; following his brothers John and James who had already moved there. He was first taxed in Cabell County in 1821.
8 Tabitha Plymale was born circa 1803 in Montgomery (now Giles) Co., Virginia 29. She died after 1858, probably in Missouri.
She was married to Joseph Boggs on December 23, 1824 in Gallia Co., Ohio 48. (He was born circa 1805 in Ohio 29 and died between 1860 and 1869, probably in Missouri.)
unknown male Boggs (c. 1825-aft. 1840)
James A. Boggs (c. 1827-aft. 1871)
Bethia Jane Boggs (c. 1832-1860s)
md. Thomas Jefferson Dickerson
Samuel Boggs (c. 1837-aft. 1860)
William B. Boggs (c. 1841-aft. 1860)
Caroline F. Boggs (c. 1844-aft. 1860)
After their marriage in 1824, the lived in Gallia County, Ohio for many years. In about 1837, they moved to nearby Cabell County, Virginia (now Wayne County, West Virginia), where they lived on land adjacent to her brother John Plymale. In September 1858, they sold their land in West Virginia and apparently moved away. They most likely moved to Missouri at that time. In 1860 the family was living in Dent County, Missouri. Joseph's wife on that record has a name that looks like "Susan". It is unclear if the name was a mistake or if Tabitha died and her husband remarried between 1858 and 1860. Joseph died during the 1860s and their surviving children apparently remained in various parts of southeast Missouri.
9 Gabriel Plymale
10 Hugh Plymale was born on December 6, 1807 in Giles Co., Virginia 1. He died on September 18, 1878 in Clay Twp., Gallia Co., Ohio 1.
He married first to Catherine Cattrell on May 5, 1827 in Gallia Co., Ohio 1. (She was born on August 16, 1810 in Ohio 1 and died on September 3, 1852 in Gallia Co., Ohio 1.)
Roda Plymale (1827-1889)
md. John Martindale
md. Cornelius Berridge
Bethier Plymale (1832-1847)
Theodosia Plymale (1834-1914)
md. Jesse Halley
Mary Catherine Plymale (1837-1914)
md. 1st. Robert Irons
md. 2nd. Andy Hardway
Isaac Plymale (1840-1840)
Junis Plymale (1841-1907)
md. Susanna Gilbert
Louisa Plymale (1843-1932)
md. Thomas Bay
Missouri Plymale (1846-1908)
md. Mary Gilbert
md. Claudis Brothers
Hugh married second to Rebecca Stevers on September 21, 1854 in Gallia Co., Ohio 1. (She was born in 1818 1 and died in 1915 1).
John Anthony Plymale (1855-1911)
md. Eugenia Rucker
Infant Plymale (1857-1857)
James Alfred Plymale (1858-1928)
Anselm Eugene Plymale (1860-1935)
md. 1st. Laura Martin
md. 2nd. Lesta Wooten
md. 3rd. Edna Parsons Mitchell
George E. Plymale (1862-1862)
Hugh apparently moved with his father to Gallia County, Ohio in 1824. He first appeared on tax lists there in 1828 (when he turned 21) and apparently resided there continuously until his death 50 years later in 1878. He died as a result of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1878.
11 Magdalene* "Maggy" Plymale was born circa 1808 in Giles Co., Virgnia 29. She died on October 6, 1874 in Dublin District, Pulaski Co., Virginia 57.
She married to John Wesley White on February 25, 1824 in Montgomery Co., Virginia 47. (He was born circa 1798 in Virginia 29 and died after 1880 in Pulaski Co., Virginia).
James Wilson White (c. 1826-1876)
md. Martha M. Tynes
Elizabeth White (c. 1828-aft. 1900)
md. Fleming King
Nancy White (c. 1831-???)
md. Valentine Fink
unknown male White (c. 1833-aft. 1840)
Bethia White (c. 1835-c. 1896)
md. Newton Woodyard
George W. White (1836-1917)
Sophia White (1838-1927)
Harrison Shannon White (1840-1915)
md. Mary M. King
Mary Susan White (c. 1842-aft. 1880)
md. Abram Brown
Dianna White (c. 1844-aft. 1880)
Eliza White (c. 1846-aft. 1860)
Martha P. White (c. 1848-aft. 1870)
Joseph Absolem Kirk White (1854-1923)
md. 1st Lucinda Wood
md. 2nd M. Lizzie Shouse
After her marriage in 1824, Magdalene and her husband settled in the part of Montgomery County, Virginia that became Pulaski County in 1839. They lived near Newbern in Pulaski County.
* Several sources suggest that her full name was Mary Magdalene Plymale, but that she normally only used her middle name.
12 Bethia Plymale was born on November 14, 1810 in Giles Co., Virginia 47. She died on April 13, 1884 in Springfield, Bon Homme Co., South Dakota 47. She is buried in the Springfield Cemetery, Springfield, Bon Homme Co., South Dakota.
She married first to John Patton Boggs on October 3, 1828 in Gallia Co., Ohio. (He was born circa 1807 in Virginia and died sometime between 1830-1840 in Gallia Co., Ohio.)
They apparently had no children.
She married second to Andrew Bowen Armstrong on January 30, 1840 in Gallia Co., Ohio 48. (He was born circa 1799 in Mason Co., Kentucky 29 and died in 1853 in Indian Point Twp., Knox Co., Illinois 47.)
They had six children:
Mary Susan Armstrong (1840-1881)
md. Levi Harrison Mabie
Martha C. Armstrong (1843-1899)
md. George S. Stark
Joseph W. Armstrong (1843-1932)
md. Amanda A. Fry
Elizabeth Caroline Armstrong (1846-1923)
md. Lucius Cicero Vroman
Andrew Penal Armstrong (c. 1847-1916)
md. Nancy Phipps
Anthony Jack Armstrong (1850-1881)
During her first marriage, Bethia lived in Gallia County, Ohio. She probably also lived there during her widowhood. After her second marriage in 1840, she lived in neighboring Scioto County, Ohio. They sold their land in Scioto County in May 1840, but probably didn't move away until 1841. In about 1841 they moved to Knox County, Illinois; where her siblings Elizabeth and Gabriel were living. In about 1853, she moved to Johnson County, Iowa, where she was living in 1854, 1856 and 1860. She has not located in the 1870 census, but was probably still in Iowa. She eventually moved to Bon Homme Co., South Dakota with a few of her children.
13 Bowen* Plymale was born circa 1812 in Giles Co., Virginia 29. He probably died between 1875 and 1877, in Illinois or Missouri.
He married first to Elizabeth circa 1836. (She was born circa 1816 in Virginia 29 and died between 1870 and 1875 in Missouri.)
They had at least five children:
Hugh Alfred Plymale (c. 1839-1866)
md. Mary E. Shepherd
Gabriel Plymale (c. 1845-1879)
md. Rebecca Sullivan
Martha J. Plymale (c. 1847-1880s)
md. David Callahan
Mary E. Plymale (c. 1852-aft. 1860)
Amos H. Plymale (1854-1915)
md. Patsy Ann Sutterfield
He married second to Sarah Elizabeth, widow of a Mr. Emery, on May 23, 1875 in Union Co., Illinois. (She was born circa 1849 and died after 1877).
They had no children.
Details about Bowen's youth are not clear. He was possibly the man of his age group living in his brother Anthony's household in 1830 (in what is now Wayne Co., West Virginia). Bowen was probably married to Elizabeth during the mid-to-late 1830s, probably in Virginia. Many researchers have listed her name as Elizabeth Calhoun, but I know of no contemporary source that provides her maiden name. Other researchers suggest that he was the John B. Plymale who married Elizabeth Blake in 1834 in La Porte Co., Indiana; yet that is unlikely.
Bowen moved frequently as an adult. He was in Cabell County, Virginia (West Virginia) in 1835. In 1837 he was in Gallia County, Ohio. In 1838 and 1841 he was back in Cabell County, Virginia (West Virginia), where he was probably in what is now Wayne County. In 1842, he was in Knox Co., Illinois (where his siblings Elizabeth, Gabriel, and Bethia were living). While living there in 1842, Bowen filed for bankruptcy. During the mid-1840s, they were somewhere in Indiana before returning to Knox Co., Illinois by 1850. They were somewhere in Indiana in 1854. In 1857, they were in Sullivan Co., Indiana. In 1860, they were living in Edgar Co., Illinois. In 1864, they were in Vigo Co., Indiana and in 1865 they were back in Edgar Co., Illinois. (The places where they lived between 1857 and 1865 were all in the vicinity of Terre Haute, Indiana). After this, they apparently went to Missouri, where their daughter Martha was married in 1866 in St. Charles County. In 1870, they were in Wayne Co., Missouri. Bowen was living somewhere in Missouri in 1871. In 1875, he married a widow named Sarah Emery in Union Co., Illinois. His widow remarried in 1877 in Monroe Co., Illinois. Bowen most likely died in the vicinity of Renault in Monroe Co., Illinois (where his widow was living when she remarried in 1877 and where his son Gabriel was buried in 1879). The places where they lived between 1866 and 1877 were all in the general vicinity of St. Louis and along the Mississippi River.
Bowen served in the Union Army during the Civil War out of both Illinois and Indiana.
* Various onine family trees list his name as "Hugh Bowen Plymale" or "John Bowen Plymale", yet there is no evidence that he used any name besides Bowen.
Anthony married second Anna "Ann" Oberholtzer, widow of Andrew Criner, on November 27, 1816 in Giles Co., Virginia 51. She died after 1820 in Gallia Co., Ohio.
Most family histories suggest that Anthony was married to Ann Criner, daughter of Andrew and Anna Criner. In actuality, Andrew Criner died in 1815 or 1816 and Anthony was married to his widow, Anna/Ann Criner. Ann had at least 9 children from her first marriage, including: John, Daniel, Barbara, Samuel, Elizabeth, Nancy, George, and Andrew Jr. Anna most likely died prior to 1826, when she did not appear on two deeds with her husband.
3rd Generation:
Gabriel* Plymale was born on October 2, 1804 in Montgomery (now Giles) County, Virginia 1,31,32. He died on November 14, 1852 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 15. He is buried in the Jacksonville Cemetery, Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon.
Father: Anthony Plymale
Mother: Bethia Bowen
Gabriel was born and raised in Giles County, Virginia, where they lived first on Clover Hollow and then on Spruce Run. In 1820, the family moved to adjacent Montgomery County, Virginia. In 1824, Gabriel was on the personal property tax list in Montgomery County, Virginia; along with his father. Later in 1824, his father Anthony moved to Gallia County, Ohio. Gabriel's place of residence between 1824 and 1827 is unknown; he may have briefly lived with his father in Ohio or perhaps with other relatives. He eventually moved to Cabell County, Virginia (now Wayne County, West Virginia), where his brothers John and Anthony were living. He was first found on records there in 1827, when he was taxed near his brothers. At the time he owned one "stud horse or jack ape". There, he met and became engaged to Mary "Polly" Hatfield, a young woman who lived nearby. They were married on October 16, 1828 by Rev. Stephen Spurlock (a Methodist minister) in Cabell County, Virginia (now West Virginia).
Gabriel and Mary settled in what is now Wayne County, West Virginia and built a log cabin. There, they lived next to a mill at the confluence of Newcomb Creek and Twelvepole Creek. At the time, the location was called Buffalo Shoals, and is now simply known as Shoals. In May and September 1834, Gabriel sold his land and moved with his family to Knox County, Illinois, where his oldest sister Elizabeth was living. Years later, Gabriel's grandson (who was born many years after he died) said that Gabriel moved to Illinois because he did not approve of slavery that was then legal in Virginia. (This may not be accurate, because the grandson also stated that Gabriel's family owned 200 slaves, when in reality they did not own any slaves - although one of Gabriel's brothers did.) In Knox County, Illinois, Gabriel and his family settled on a farm in Galesburg Township, just south of the city of Galesburg. There, they engaged in stock raising and also owned land in neighboring Cherry Grove and Sparta Townships. In addition to farming, his grandson also indicates that Gabriel cut black walnut logs that were shipped to England to be made in to furniture. He went to Chicago twice per year for supplies.
In about 1848, Gabriel's brother James left for the California Gold Rush which might have inspired Gabriel to do the same. On April 6, 1852, Gabriel and his family left Illinois and made the long and dangerous journey on the Oregon Trail arriving at Jacksonville, Oregon, in October 1852. Gabriel died on November 14, 1852 of typhoid fever contracted during the journey. His wife remained in Jacksonville for a year and in 1853, went into the valley outside of Jacksonville where with the help of her sons, claimed a farm and built a home where she died in 1875.
* Note that many online family histories list his name as "James Gabriel Plymale", yet there is no evidence that he ever used the name James or initial J. Based on the context of some records that list him with that name, it is likely that he was being confused with his brother James (who lived in Cabell/Wayne County before him). On one contemporary record (the 1850 agricultural census), his name was listed as "F. Gabriel" Plymale, perhaps a clue that he did have another name - the best guess is Francis.
Gabriel was married to Mary Ann Hatfield on October 16, 1828 in Cabell County, Virginia (now West Virginia) 1,32,33.
1 Minerva Jane Plymale was born on September 29, 1829 in Cabell (now Wayne) Co., Virginia (now West Virginia) 33. She died on October 17, 1910 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 33. She is buried in the Jacksonville Cemetery, Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon.
She was married to Robert Clinton Armstrong on December 21, 1848 in Galesburg Twp., Knox Co., Illinois 34. (He was born on January 11, 1827 in Gallia Co., Ohio 35 and died on October 30, 1880 in Jacksonville Pct., Jackson Co., Oregon 35. He is buried in the Jacksonville Cemetery, Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon.)
Marcus Vinton Armstrong (1849-1921)
md. 1st. Martha Ann Johnson
md. 2nd. Ella Strong, widow of William Riley Randles
Mary Jane Armstrong (1851-1933)
md. 1st. Roscoe Cole Oglesby
md. 2nd. Aaron F. Carpenter
Cornelious Jasper Armstrong (1853-1943)
md. Farinda Maud Borroughs
Anderville Plymale Armstrong (1855-1922)
md. Kate A. Nelson, widow of W. Lynn White
Emma Alice Armstrong (1857-1942)
Charles Francis Armstrong (1859-1864)
Annis Idella Armstrong (1860-1925)
md. Joseph Leslie Patterson
Robert T. Armstrong (1863-1921)
md. Alice Adella Dudrow
Martha Susana Armstrong (1865-1940)
md. David Braxton Fleck
Eugene R. Armstrong (1867-1932)
md. 1st. Marguerite M. Wicke (divorced)
md. 2nd. Dora Ione Radliff, ex-wife of Walter Luke
infant Armstrong (1872-1872)
Minerva's husband Robert Armstrong was her step-cousin. He was the stepson of Minerva's aunt Bethia Plymale Armstrong.
Minerva moved with her family to Illinois in 1834 and she moved over the Oregon Trail in 1852 with her husband, children, parents and siblings. After arriving in Oregon, Minerva and her husband settled on a Donation Land Claim northeast of Jacksonville, Oregon, where they lived for many years. After her husband's death, Minerva moved to a house in Jacksonville, Oregon, where she remained until her death.
2 Anderville Plymale was born March 15, 1831 in Cabell (now Wayne) Co., Virginia (now West Virginia) 15. He died on December 22, 1852 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 15. He is buried in the Jacksonville Cemetery, Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon.
Anderville is said to have been named after a place where the Plymale family originally lived (in reality, no such place has been located; unless it was a shortened version of Andersonville, of which there was one in Buckingham County, Virginia. Another theory is that it could have been referring to Auderville, a coastal town in Normandy in northwest France (which could support the theory that the Plymales came from nearby Brittany, France). Anderville died from typhoid fever contracted during the family's journey on the Oregon Trail.
3 Francis Marion Plymale was born on March 17, 1833 in Virginia* 1,36. He died on February 17, 1900 in Medford, Jackson Co., Oregon 36. He is buried in the Eastwood I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Medford, Jackson Co., Oregon.
He was married to Jane Elizabeth Nichols on December 21, 1865 in Jackson Co., Oregon 10. (She was born on January 30, 1845 in Mercer Co., Missouri and died on January 12, 1922 in Medford, Jackson Co., Oregon 39. She is buried in the Eastwood I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Medford, Jackson Co., Oregon.)
Anna Plymale (1866-1901)
md. John Wray Curry
Nora Plymale (1868-1891)
md. E.S. Johnson
Cassie Plymale (1869-1939)
md. 1st. Horace Greeley Nicholson
md. 2nd. John Wray Curry (her sister Anna's widower)
Francis "Gabe" Gabriel Plymale (1871-c. 1904)
md. 1st. Bessie May Brouse (divorced)
md. 2nd. Hattie May Howard (divorced)
John "Jack" Sebastian Plymale (1876-1950)
Meda Plymale (1881-1953)
md. 1st Otto Wilson Fox
md. 2nd Alfred William Garner
* According to surviving information from his descendants, he was born in Giles County, Virginia. This is unlikely though. Francis' father Gabriel was born and raised in Giles County, Virginia, but had probably moved away from the area in 1824. He moved across the state to what is now Wayne County, West Virginia. Francis' parents were married there in 1828 and were documented there continuously between 1828 and 1834. It is likely then that Francis was actually born in Wayne County, West Virginia. It is possible his family thought he was born in Giles County, Virginia; because that is where the Plymales were originally from. Or, perhaps Francis was born while the family was on a trip to Giles County? In 1833, Gabriel's sister Mary Louks was the only family member still living in Giles County. Perhaps Gabriel could have also returned there to help settle the estate of his father, who had recently died in Ohio and still owned land in neighboring Montgomery County.
Francis took over the Plymale farm in Jackson County, Oregon from his mother in the mid-1860s. He lived there until 1889, when he moved with his family to the newly formed city of Medford, Oregon. Francis worked as a ranch farmer for most of his adulthood. In 1884, he began renting out his farm and entered into a partnership with William Angle to operate a mercantile store in the city of Medford. They operated the store in Medford until their retirement in about 1898. Francis was an elected Medford city trustee/councilman in 1890, 1891 and 1893.
4 . Elizabeth Plymale was born on or about March 27, 1835 60 in Galesburg Twp., Knox Co., Illinois . She died on May 8, 1890 in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon 42,60. She is buried in the Lone Fir Cemetery, Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon.
She married George C. Ross on January 1, 1855 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 10. (He was born on January 22, 1825 in Ohio 42 and died on March 8, 1902 42.)
John England Ross (1855-1940)
md. Frances F. Mays (divorced)
Mary Pauline Ross (1857-1910)
md. 1st. James Cyrus Murray (divorced)
md. 2nd. William B. Sloan
Clara "Caddie" Ellen Ross (1860-1936)
md. John Henry Benson
Franklin Ross (1864-aft. 1903)
md. 1st. Ann J. McCullough (divorced)
md. 2nd. Mabel Robinson
Lillie Mae Ross (1868-1943)
md. Willis Newton Mitchell
Between 1855 and 1858, Elizabeth and her husband lived near her mother's ranch in rural Jackson County, Oregon. Then between 1858 and 1863, they lived in Roseburg, Oregon. After this, they may have lived briefly in Jacksonville, Oregon (where George probably co-operated a livery stable with his brother-in-law Sebastian Plymale). In 1868, they were living in Yreka, California. In 1870 and 1871, they were living in Oroville, California. In 1873, they were living in Thurston County, Washington Territory. Sometime before 1876 they had returned to Oregon and settled at East Portland, Oregon. They have not been found in the 1880 census. In 1889, they were living in Duwamish (Georgetown, now a part of Seattle), King County, Washington. They returned to Portland shortly after this where Elizabeth died. Elizabeth's granddaughter Rhea Mitchell (1890-1957) was a famous silent film actress, acting in films in Hollywood between 1913 and 1952.
5 William Jasper Plymale
6 Sebastian Plymale was born on September 12, 1838 in Galesburg Twp., Knox Co., Illinois 37. He died on May 6, 1920 in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon 37. He is buried in the River View Cemetery, Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon.
He was married to Mary Ellen Little on November 4, 1868 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 10. (She was born on October 13, 1851 in Winterport, Waldo Co., Maine 42 and died on April 7, 1937 in Yreka, Siskiyou Co., California 42. She is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery, Yreka, Siskiyou Co., California.)
Harry Little Plymale (1870-1934)
md. 1st. Lillian M. Green (divorced)
md. 2nd. Ida Mabel Comb
Fred Sebastian Plymale (1872-1944)
md. Lilly Mary Cull
As a young adult, aside from working on the family ranch, Sebastian also worked as a miner and a clerk. In about 1865, he apparently purchased some land in Jacksonville, Oregon, where he successfully operated a large livery stable on Oregon Street. In 1868, Sebastian began construction of his house at the same location. He and his wife apparently lived there until 1871, when they sold the house and livery stable to John Manning and moved to Portland, Oregon (Manning sold this land to Sebastian's brother William in 1875). In 1873, Sebastian was running an ice rink in Portland. He eventually became a machinist and worked for the Portland Gas Savings Association as a manager.
7 Sarah Plymale was born on June 6, 1840 in Galesburg Twp., Knox Co., Illinois 38. She died on August 18, 1906 in Roseburg, Douglas Co., Oregon 39. She is buried in the Roseburg I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Roseburg, Douglas Co., Oregon.
She married to Lewis Henry Zigler on May 4, 1855 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 10. (He was born on May 20, 1829 in Detroit Co., Virginia 40 and died on August 19, 1884 in Roseburg, Douglas Co., Oregon 40. He is buried in the Roseburg I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Roseburg, Douglas Co., Oregon.)
Charles Plymale Zigler (1857-1915)
md. Myra Arabella Stevens
Zelia Elizabeth Zigler (1859-1940)
Katie Ferand Zigler (1863-1866)
Frederick Martin Zigler (1865-1928)
md. Caroline Hardy Sykes
Michael Mott Zigler (1868-1873)
Lewis Henry Zigler (1873-1929)
md. Ada Viola Owen
Paul Revere Zigler (1874-1954)
Claud Austell Zigler (1877-1969)
md. 1st. Christina June Hume (divorced)
md. 2nd. Ada Viola Owen (his brother Lewis' widow)
After their marriage, Sarah and her husband lived for several years in Jacksonville, Oregon. In about 1872, they moved to Roseburg, Oregon. In about 1874, they moved to Eugene, Oregon. Then in about 1875, they moved to Marshfield (now Coos Bay), Oregon. They moved a final time back to Roseburg, Oregon in about 1883. Sarah's husband Lewis operated a hotel in Roseburg. The hotel suffered a devastating fire in 1884 in which Lewis was killed. Sarah spent the remainder of her life in Roseburg. Between 1884 and her death in 1906, she lived in a house at what is now 825 SE Jackson Street, just across the street from the house of her sister Emily Plymale Autenrieth.
One family history from her descendants indicate that her middle name was "Mary", yet Sarah is never listed with a middle name or initial on any contemporary record. The Plymale family website (http://www.plymale.com) lists her name as "Sarah (Polly) Plymale" with a year of death of 1911. This is not true, and it confuses her with her sister Pauline (see below) and provides the wrong death year.
8 Narrissa Plymale was born on February 14, 1842 in Galesburg Twp., Knox Co., Illinois 41. She died on June 10, 1924 in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon 41. She is buried in the Huntington I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Huntington, Baker Co., Oregon.
She married first to William A. Wilkinson on May 8, 1859 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 10. (He was born circa 1832 29 and died after 1866). They divorced on November 16, 1866.
They had two children:
Charles Robert Wilkinson (1860-1908)
Anna E. Wilkinson (1863-1863)
She married second to Thomas George Giannini on May 3, 1869 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 10. (He was born on November 25, 1833 in Richmond, Virginia 42 and died on May 5, 1907 in Huntington, Baker Co., Oregon. He is buried in the Huntington I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Huntington, Baker Co., Oregon.)
They had five children:
unknown Giannini (1871-1870s)
Edna Lee Giannini (1873-1870s)
Minnie May Giannini (1875-1896)
Camilia Della Giannini (1878-1912)
md. John Wesley Goodman
Gabriel Plymale Giannini (1881-1896)
She is frequently listed on the internet with the name "Narcissa", but her name was actually Narrissa and was never spelled with a "C" during her lifetime. Narrissa and her first husband lived in Jacksonville, Oregon, where they rented a house from the Klippel family. It was there in 1863 that Narrissa's husband William abandoned her and their children while they were all very sick. At that time, she went to go live on her mother's ranch in what is now Medford. Three years later, Narrissa was finally divorced. In about 1867, she moved with her mother and some of her siblings to Jacksonville.
After her second marriage in 1869, Narrissa continued living in Jacksonville, Oregon. In about 1874, they moved to Yreka, California where they remained about two years. In 1876, they moved back to Jacksonville, Oregon but only remained for one year. In 1877 they moved to Lake City, California, where they lived for at least four years. Sometime between 1881 and 1885, they returned again to Jacksonville, Oregon. In about 1893, Narrissa and her family moved a final time to Huntington, Oregon, where they remained. After the death of her husband in 1907, Narrissa moved to nearby Baker City, Oregon to live with her daughter. In about 1914, Narrissa moved to Portland, Oregon, where she spent the rest of her life. Her grandson and only surviving descendant, Charles Goodman, died unmarried in 1918.
9 Mary "Pauline" Plymale was born on April 7, 1844 in Galesburg Twp., Knox Co., Illinois 15. She died on June 24, 1885 in Manzanita Pct. (now Medford), Jackson Co., Oregon 15. She is buried in the Jacksonville Cemetery, Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon.
She married first to Sullivan Milton Farren on December 31, 1867 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 10. (He was born circa 1834 in Massachusetts 29 and died after 1879). They were divorced on November 25, 1879.
They had three children:
Edwin F. Farren (1869-1892)
unknown Farren (1872-1870's)
George S. Farren (1876-1896)
Pauline married second to Carl Brown on January 29, 1881 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 10.
Emma Pauline Brown (1882-1885)
Pauline and her first husband spent the first year or two of marriage in Jacksonville, Oregon. In 1869 or 1870, they moved to Fort Jones, California. In the late 1870s, after her husband abandoned her and her children, she moved back to Jacksonville, Oregon where she was divorced. She left no surviving descendants, as all four of her children died young and unmarried.
* Her original/legal name was "Mary Plymale" (she is listed in court records in 1855, 1856 and 1866 as "Mary") yet she apparently always went by the pet version of the name "Polly" or sometimes as "Pod". As an adult, she changed her name (unofficially) to "Pauline" (perhaps to differentiate herself from her own mother). The plymale.com website incorrectly lists her name as "Sarah Pauline Plymale", confusing her with her sister.
Sullivan Farren was born with the last name Farrer, but changed his last name legally to Farren in 1861 in California. He was the son of Rufus and Margaret Farrer of Otsego Co., New York. He was apparently never heard from after his divorce in 1879, when it is believed he had been living in California. He may have assumed a new name, or perhaps was dead. He had died sometime before 1896.
10 Emmasetta "Emily" Plymale was born on February 13, 1846, 1847 or 1848* in Galesburg Twp., Knox Co., Illinois 61. She died on June 27, 1910 in Roseburg, Douglas Co., Oregon 43,61. She is buried in the Roseburg I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Roseburg, Douglas Co., Oregon.
She married Edward Herman Autenrieth on October 27, 1874 in Eugene, Lane Co., Oregon 44. (He was born on February 24, 1848 in New Orleans, Orleans Co., Louisiana 45 and died on August 3, 1907 in Yreka, Siskiyou Co., California 46. He is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery, Yreka, Siskiyou Co., California.) They were divorced circa 1890-1891.
Mary Snow Autenrieth (1875-1940)
md. 1st. Stephen D. Willis
md. 2nd. George Thomas Bolter
Sarah Blanche Autenrieth (1878-1954)
md. Dexter Rice
Minnie Pearl Autenrieth (1882-1894)
Emily apparently moved with her sister Sarah and family to Eugene, Oregon in about 1873. It was there that she met and married Edward Autenrieth in 1874. After her marriage, she lived with her husband in Yreka, California. In about 1879, they moved to Jacksonville, Oregon, where they lived for a few years. In 1881, they planned to move to San Francisco, but it is not known if they ever lived there. In 1885, they moved again to Yreka, California. In 1891 (probably after her divorce), she moved with her children to Roseburg, Oregon where she remained. In Roseburg, she worked as a dressmaker. Emily purchased a house in Roseburg in 1894 where she lived until her death. This house was on Jackson Street, directly across the street of the house of her sister Sarah Plymale Zigler. (The house is no longer standing and is the site of the parking lot to the First Presbyterian Church.)
* Although later sources document her birth in 1848, in reality she was probably born in 1846 or 1847.
4th Generation:
William Jasper Plymale was born on February 9, 1837 in Galesburg Township, Knox County, Illinois 12,13,14. He died on January 10, 1904 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 12,14. He is buried in the Jacksonville Cemetery, Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon.
Father: Gabriel Plymale
Mother: Mary Ann Hatfield
William spent his childhood in Knox County, Illinois, where his parents were farmers. They were probably members of the Methodist church while living in Illinois. In early 1852, 15-year old William and his family left Illinois aboard a covered wagon train and arrived in southern Oregon in October 1852 after a 6-month journey. Sadly, William's father and oldest brother died within two months of the family's arrival in Oregon. William and his surviving family spent the winter of 1852-1853 in Jacksonville and in the spring of 1853, they went to the valley surrounding Jacksonville, where they claimed a 320-acre ranch.
Aside from whatever education William received in Illinois, he also attended school in Jacksonville. After this, William was sent to Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, which was at that time one of the only institutions of higher education on the west coast. William returned to Jackson County, Oregon in the early 1860s. On July 9, 1863 in Jacksonville, William was married to a young schoolteacher named Josephine Martin. They began married life together on the Plymale ranch in Manzanita Precinct (now within the city of Medford). They had 12 children: William, Ada, Kate, Walter, Louis, Frank, Emaline, Marie, McDonough, David, Victor, and Benjamin (see next generation).
While attending college, William apparently studied surveying and politics. In the early years of his marriage, William worked as a surveyor (perhaps for the State of Oregon). From about 1863 to 1864, William worked on a team that was surveying land for the much-anticipated railroad that would eventually pass through the state of Oregon. In 1864, William was elected to the position of Jackson County Surveyor. He served two terms in this position (8 years: 1865-1873). During this time, William also served as editor of an early newspaper based in Jacksonville called "The Reporter." After his position as Surveyor was over, he decided to run for higher political office. In 1874, William ran as a Democrat for the office of Representative for the Oregon State Legislature and was elected to one term. In 1875, he returned to southern Oregon and he decided that he no longer wanted to be a farmer. In that year, he traded his portion of the Plymale ranch with a man who owned a house and livery stable business in the city of Jacksonville, Oregon (the house and stable had originally been built and operated by William's brother Sebastian, who had moved to Portland a few years earlier). The Plymales lived in this house on Oregon Street and made enough income from the livery stable to support their large family. After moving to Jacksonville, William turned most of his attention to political and literary pursuits. He ran for several offices before being appointed (or elected?) as Justice of the Peace in about 1887. He served in this capacity for the rest of his life. Prior to this, William also served as a Deputy County Clerk and he also worked during the early 1880s as a fire insurance agent.
In matters of politics, William was a Democrat up until the 1890s when he became a Republican. (Although conjecture, this change in attitude may have had something to do with the fact that his wife Josephine had always been a Republican in politics.) William was also a cultivated writer. He was a steady correspondent for several newspapers in the area and also did much "freelance" writing on the history of Oregon. Some of his work is on file with the Oregon Historical Society. Although Democrats at that time period are usually associated today with racism and bigotry, William seems to have held rather liberal views on the subject of "the other." His surviving literary work lambasted the treatment of Native Americans by White colonizers.
In September 1888, William's house in Jacksonville burned down. They are said to have escaped in the middle of the night with only the clothes on their backs. Their exact place of residence over the next year is unknown, but they probably lived in or near Jacksonville. In December 1890, they purchased a house across the street from the location of their old home. (This house at 180 N. Oregon Street is in Jacksonville and is still standing today where it is aptly called "The Plymale House."). William's wife died in 1899 and he continued to live in Jacksonville, where he worked on his writing. William must have not made much money working as a Justice of the Peace. By the time of his death, he left his family much in debt, and it was probably for this reason that his granddaughter years later referred to him as a "ne'er-do-well." William died at his home in Jacksonville, Oregon, on January 10, 1904 from a short bout with pneumonia. He was 66 years old.
William married to Josephine Lucretia Martin on July 9, 1863 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 10.
"Tyee George and Skookum John" written by William J. Plymale at an unkonwn date
"The Unknown" written by William J . Plymale at an unknown date
1 William Lee* Plymale was born on May 19 54 or May 29 16,53, 1864 in Manzanita Pct. (now Medford), Jackson Co., Oregon. He died on April 24, 1921 in Yreka, Siskiyou Co., California 16,17,53. He is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery, Yreka, Siskiyou Co., California.
He married first to Nellie Ann Luy on December 18, 1887 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 10. (She was born on January 11, 1867 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 17and died on January 31, 1959 in Oakland, Alameda Co., California 17.) They were divorced on December 9, 1892 in San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California 52.
Emma Lucretia Plymale (1888-1975)
md. 1st Jackson Bennett Matthews (divorced)
md. 2nd Charles Henry Taber (divorced)
He married second to Mary "Mamie" Craig Fairchild on December 25, 1898 in Yreka, Siskiyou Co., California 18,53. (She was born on August 13, 1872 in Monticello, Drew Co., Arkansas 49 and died on December 31, 1926 in Concord, Contra Costa Co., California 49. She is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery, Yreka, Siskiyou Co., California.)
Leah Geneva Plymale (1900-1986)
md. Richard Lewis Owen
Bernard Benjamin Plymale (1904-1978)
md. Amy Augusta Schwendeman
* His birth notice in the Jacksonville Democratic Times indicated that his name was "McClellan Plymale", but this was changed because he always went by the name "William Lee Plymale." The choice of his name may have been a political statement. His father, William Plymale, had apparently been a Republican in politics, which suggests he supported the Union side during the Civil War, which was probably why he originally chose to name his son after Union General McClellan. However, William apparently defected to the Democratic party in 1864 in order to win election as Jackson County Surveyor. He may have changed his son's name in honor of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in order to appeal to his supporters.
William moved frequently as a young adult. In about 1882, at the age of 18, William moved to Yreka, California, where he worked for the Yreka Journal newspaper. Then sometime between 1882 and 1884, William moved to Portland, Oregon where he attended the Portland Business College. In 1884, he was living with his uncle Sebastian Plymale in Portland. In 1887, William was back in Jacksonville when he was married to Nellie Luy. They were still living in Jacksonville in 1888 when their daughter was born. Then in 1889, they were living in Salem, Oregon, where William worked as a printer for the Statesman newspaper. In 1890, William was then living in Albany, Oregon. Then in 1892, William and Nellie were divorced in San Francisco, but it is unknown if William ever lived there. In late 1892, William was living in Medford, Oregon. In 1895 and 1896, he was again living in Salem Oregon, with two of his siblings. Sometime between 1896 and 1898, he returned to Yreka, California. He lived in Yreka for the rest of his life, where he continued to work for the Yreka Journal newspaper as a printer.
2 Ada "Addie" Cora Plymale was born on September 16, 1866 in Manzanita Pct. (now Medford), Jackson Co., Oregon 19. She died on November 14 55 or November 16 17, 1933 in San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California. She is buried in the Jacksonville Cemetery, Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon.
She married Douglas Alansin Jones on October 11, 1885 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 10. (He was born about May 10, 1865 in Roseburg, Douglas Co., Oregon 29 and died on November 6, 1900 in San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California 56.)
Nellie Louise Jones (1887-1895)
unnamed son Jones (1898-1898)
Ada followed in her mother's footsteps as a newspaper enthusiast. Prior to her marriage, Ada worked for a newspaper called Hesperian, based out of Portland, Oregon. Ada's husband Douglas was a newspaper printer. After their marriage in 1885, they lived briefly in Jacksonville, Oregon. In about 1887, they moved to Salem, Oregon, where they lived in the Yew Park neighborhood. In 1889, Douglas and Ada were both working for The Statesman, a Salem newspaper. In 1896 they moved to Oakland, California. In 1900, they had just moved to San Francisco when her husband died suddenly at the age of 35. After this, Ada moved back to Oakland, where she lived briefly. In 1903 Ada was appointed the postmistress [postmaster] of Byron Springs, California (a resort town east of Oakland and San Francisco), but did not remain there long.
In 1904, she was again living in Oakland, California. For the next two years, she lived in Oakland but worked in San Francisco as a stenographer for the Fulton Iron Works. She was at her office during the great San Francisco earthquake in April 1906. She escaped unharmed but her workplace, her home and all of her belongings were destroyed. After spending about three weeks as a homeless refugee in the Presidio, she evacuated to Medford, Oregon to live with her sister Kate. During the year 1906, she tried to find work. Over the summer of 1906, she worked as a stenographer briefly in Grants Pass, Oregon and Roseburg, Oregon. In August 1906, she moved to Seattle, Washington, where she found permanent employment, but only worked there for about 4 months. In December 1906, she moved back to San Francisco, where she once again worked as a stenographer for the Fulton Iron Works.
Ada moved frequently in her widowhood She spent most of the rest of her life in San Francisco, where she lived in at least 7 different apartments. In 1923, she moved to the remote town of Quincy, California, where worked as a stenographer for the Forest Service there. After having only been there for four months, she suffered a stroke while at work and became bedridden. Her sisters Emaline and Marie came to her side to care for her, and took her to San Francisco for hospital treatment. Then in early 1924, her sister Emaline took her to Reedley, California (near Fresno) to live with her. Ada lived with her sister in Reedley for an unknown amount of time, until was healthy enough to return to her normal life. Sometime between 1924 and 1927, she had returned to San Francisco; where she remained for the duration of her life. By 1930, she had entered a nursing home ("relief home for aged and inferior"), where died in 1933 at the age of 67. Although Ada had moved away from her family, she remained close with them. During the late 1890s, her sister Emaline lived with her. In 1908 and 1914, her brother Frank was living with her. In 1920, her brother Victor and his wife were living with her. She seems to have been closest with her sisters Kate and Emaline.
3 Kate May Plymale was born on May 1, 1868 in Manzanita Pct. (now Medford), Jackson Co., Oregon 21. She died on November 8, 1960 in Medford, Jackson Co., Oregon 39. She is buried in the Jacksonville Cemetery, Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon.
She was married first to Thomas Benton Collins on July 3, 1904 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 10. (He was born on March 31, 1846 in Missouri 50 and died on October 2, 1928 in Medford, Jackson Co., Oregon 50.)
She married second to Nicholas Wiltz Kime in 1932 in Grants Pass, Josephine Co., Oregon 22. (He was born on June 5, 1865 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and died on October 28, 1957 in Medford, Jackson Co., Oregon 39.)
Various sources, including her death certificate, obituary, and tombstone, list her birth year as 1867. In reality, Kate was born in 1868.
In 1886, Kate traveled to Portland, Oregon with her father where she intended to stay and attend school. It is unknown if she actually stayed there. In 1889 she was again living in Jacksonville with her family. In 1893, Kate was living with her sister Ada in Salem, Oregon, where she had already been living for "several years". In 1894 and 1895, Kate was listed as an employee ("attendant") of the State Insane Asylum in Salem, and it is not known how long she held that position. In 1900, she was once again living in Jacksonville, Oregon, with her family. It is possible that she had returned home after her mother's death in 1899 to help care for her father and young siblings.
Kate was still living at home when her father died in 1904. After this, she inherited the family home in Jacksonville and continued living with her two youngest brothers who were still minors. In July 1904, she married a much older man named Thomas Collins. Immediately after, they moved to his house in Medford, Oregon. She spent the duration of her life in at least three different homes in Medford.
4 Walter Marion* Plymale was born on January 20, 1870 in Manzanita Pct. (now Medford), Jackson Co., Oregon 23. He died on June 5, 1938 in Selma, Fresno Co., California 17. He is buried in the Jacksonville Cemetery, Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon.
He married first to Bertha Ann McFarlane on March 23, 1898 in Salem, Marion Co., Oregon 1. (She was born on January 29, 1877 in Marion Co., Oregon 17 and died on December 3, 1956 in Riverside Co., California 17. She is buried in the Salem Pioneer Cemetery, Salem, Marion Co., Oregon.) They were divorced in about 1915.
Eldena Lucretia Plymale (1901-1980)
md. Thomas Hance Marshall
Walter married second to Maude May sometime between 1920 and 1923. (She was born on February 9, 1887 in Illinois and died on May 12, 1925 in Yreka, Siskiyou Co., California 17. She is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery, Yreka, Siskiyou Co., California.)
Walter married third to Mary Craig Fairchild (widow of his brother William) on December 12, 1925 in Redding, Shasta Co., California. They were separated or divorced in 1926.
In his youth, Walter was a deputy sheriff in Jackson County, Oregon; but apparently did not do that for long. He then moved to Portland, Oregon; where he attended the Portland Business College which was operated by his cousin Anderville Armstrong. Apparently, he did not avail himself in business, as he spent most of his adulthood working as a blacksmith, but also changed occupations quite frequently. Walter moved to Salem, Oregon (where several of his siblings lived) sometime before 1891. Between 1891 and 1913, Walter moved frequently. He primarily lived in the city of Salem, and also spent time living in the the nearby towns of Turner, Stayton, Pleasant Hills, Wilsonville, Gervais, Independence, Aurora and Portland. In 1901, Walter began working for the Salem police department with the task of collecting dog taxes, but that job did not last long. In 1913, Walter moved with his family to Kansas City, Missouri. It was while living in Kansas City that Walter and his wife Bertha were divorced (family stories are that he was physically abusive towards her). Then sometime between 1921 and 1924, Walter remarried and moved to Yreka, California; where several of his siblings lived. Then 7 months after the death of his second wife, Walter remarried to Mamie Plymale, the widow of his older brother William. They began living together in Yreka, but were apparently separated or divorced before her death one year later. After this, Walter moved to Fresno, California, where his siblings Frank, Emaline and David had been living. Walter spent the rest of his life living in Fresno and nearby Selma, California.
*Various sources incorrectly list his middle name as "Marvin", yet it was Marion.
5 Louis Hardin(g) Plymale was born on March 17, 1872 in Manzanita Pct. (now Medford), Jackson Co., Oregon 24. He died on December 29, 1916 in Medford, Jackson Co., Oregon 24. He is buried in the Jacksonville Cemetery, Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon.
Louis was never married or had any children. In 1889, he moved to Salem, Oregon, where he attended the Capital Business College. Then in about 1890, he moved to Portland where he attended the Portland Business College and graduated in June 1891. In Portland he first lived with his aunt and uncle, Alfred and Kate Slocum. He first worked as a stenographer for the H. T. Hudson Arms Company. In 1898, he began working for the city's leading newspaper, The Oregonian, as an advertising specialist. Apparently in about 1913 Louis suffered some kind of mental breakdown and never fully recovered. He committed suicide by slicing his throat with a razor while wading in Bear Creek in Medford, Oregon.
6 Frank Martin* Plymale was born on March 10, 1874 in Manzanita Pct. (now Medford), Jackson Co., Oregon 25. He died on April 3, 1928 in Fresno, Fresno Co., California 25. He is buried in the Jacksonville Cemetery, Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon.
Frank was never married or had any children. Apparently, he was an alcoholic with a chronic ulcer condition and never had any steady occupation. He started adult life working in the newspaper business, but afterwards worked as a clerk, a hotel porter and a cook. He moved quite frequently and often lived with different siblings. He lived in Jacksonville, Salem and Medford, Oregon and the following cities in California: Yreka, Woodland, San Francisco, Sacramento, Madera and Fresno.
*Various online sources incorrectly list his middle name as "Mark", when in reality it was Martin. He was named after his mother's brother, Frank Martin.
7 Emaline Ceres Rebecca Josie* Plymale was born on July 13, 1876 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 17. She died on May 27, 1951 in Oakland, Alameda Co., California 17.
She married to Melville Stine on May 1, 1900 in Yreka, Siskiyou Co., California 26. (He was born on August 16, 1876 in Douglass, Butler Co., Kansas 17 and died on April 2, 1949 in Oakland, Alameda Co., California 17.)
Melville Charles Stine (1901-1949)
md. Thelma Viola McCafferty (divorced)
md. 2nd Ruby Andersen
Virginia Maxamay Stine [ADOPTED] (c. 1915-???)
md. 1st Walter A. Turner (divorced)
md. 2nd William John Baccus (divorced)
md. 3rd ??? Morrison
*She was baptized with the names "Ceres Emma Rebecca" (various online sources often incorrectly list her middle name as "Cerese", yet the name was never spelled that way). She never used her name Ceres. As a child and teenager, she always went by the name "Emma". As an adult though she always went by the name "Emaline", and sometimes used the middle name "Josie."
She was educated in Jacksonville, Oregon, where she was on a school list in 1893. In 1894 and 1895, she was living in Salem, Oregon, where several of her siblings lived. In 1896, Emma moved with her sister Ada to Oakland, California. She moved back to Jacksonville, Oregon, sometime between 1897 and 1900. After their marriage in May 1900, she and her husband lived in Yreka, California. Sometime between 1901 and 1906 they moved to Woodland, California, where they remained for several years. In 1919, they moved to Sacramento, California, where they were living as late as 1921. In 1922, they were living in Fresno, California. In 1923 and 1924, they were in nearby Reedley, California. In 1927, they were again in Fresno, California. In about 1928, they moved to Oakland, California, where they remained.
8 Marie Frances Minerva* Plymale was born on July 14, 1878 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 27. She died on September 7, 1953 in Oakland, Alameda Co., California 27. She is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery, Yreka, Siskiyou Co., California.
She married first to Harry Lewis Hatch on July 10, 1898 in Jackson Co., Oregon 10. (He was born on October 9, 1869 in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon and died on October 7, 1898 at Wagner Creek, Jackson Co., Oregon.)
She married second to William Benjamin Harrison Fairchild on April 11, 1899 in Yreka, Siskiyou Co., California 18. (He was born on August 17, 1869 in Monticello, Drew Co., Arkansas 17 and died on September 6, 1957 in Yreka, Siskiyou Co., California 17. He is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery, Yreka, Siskiyou Co., California.)
Ada Marie Fairchild (1900-1975)
md. Theodore Emmett Knackstedt
Leah Harrison Fairchild (1905-1995)
md. Carl Russell McConnell
Benjamin Harrison Fairchild (1907-1982)
md. Kathryn Louisa Moore
Kathryn Elaine Fairchild (1911-1971)
md. Leonard B. Nelson
*She was baptized with the name "Mary Minerva" and was known as Mary in her childhood, but as an adult always used the name "Marie Frances." In 1893, Marie was still attending school in Jacksonville. In 1896, she was living in Portland, Oregon and listed in the directory as a student. She returned to Jacksonville by 1898, when she married Harry Hatch. Unfortunately, he died three months after their marriage. She remarried to William Fairchild the following year and they lived in or near Yreka, California for the duration of their married life. She died while receiving hospital treatment in Oakland.
9 Carlos McDonough Plymale was born on January 2, 1881 in Jacksonville, Jacksonville Co., Oregon 15. He died on June 30, 1882 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 15. He is buried in the Jacksonville Cemetery, Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon.
He was called "Mackey." He died during a Scarlet Fever epidemic.
10 David Hovey Plymale was born on March 21, 1883 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 28. He died on October 3, 1933 in Bakersfield, Kern Co., California 17.
He married to Irene M. Pattarga on February 22, 1913 in Oakland, Alameda Co., California. (She was born on August 1, 1886 in Stockton, San Joaquin Co., California 17 and died on October 25, 1969 in Fresno, Fresno Co., California 17.)
Gabriel Anthony Plymale (1913-1963)
md. 1st Barbara Lucille Jackson (divorced)
md. 2nd Gertrude Lisle Hawkins
David Hovey Plymale (1923-1923)
David was living at home in Jacksonville in 1900, working as a day laborer. In 1904, he was living in Yreka, California, probably with one of his siblings. In 1910, he was living in Woodland, California with his sister Emaline. There he was working as a clerk in a shoe store. In 1912, he was living in Oakland, California, working in a department store. He was married there the following year. In 1918, he was living in neighboring Alameda, California, working as a salesman in San Francisco. Meanwhile he began attending the California College of Chiropody in San Francisco and graduated in June 1919 and was certified as a chiropodist in August of 1919. He soon after moved to Fresno, California, where he opened up a partnership as a chiropodist. They stayed in Fresno until about 1928, when he moved back to Oakland, California, but only stayed there about a year. In about 1929, he moved with his family to Bakersfield, California, where he remained.
11 Victor Bellinger Klippel* Plymale was born on August 9, 1886 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 30. He died on February 12, 1929 in San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California 30. He is buried in the Jacksonville Cemetery, Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon.
He married first to Ella Grace Loar on August 23, 1907 in Jackson Co., Oregon 10. (She was born in February 17, 1890 in Rathdrum, Kootenai Co., Idaho 47 and died on June 17, 1972 in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon 39.) They divorced on December 8, 1912.
He married second to Edith Gertrude Geider on February 15, 1915 in Vancouver, Clark Co., Washington. (She was born on March 28, 1895 in Yoncalla, Douglas Co., Oregon and died on November 6, 1950 in Hood River, Hood River Co., Oregon.)
*Victor was baptized with the middle name "Klippel" in 1887, but used "Bellinger" as his middle name throughout his life (Both Klippel and Bellinger were last names of some prominent Jacksonville families). After the death of his father in 1904, Victor was put under guardianship of his sister Kate until he attained his legal majority later that year. They moved to Medford, Oregon and Victor probably moved out not long after attaining majority. He continued to live in the vicinity of Medford and in 1910 was working at a saw mill outside the city. In about 1911, he moved to Portland, Oregon. This coincides with when his wife said in their divorce papers that he deserted her. In 1917, he moved to San Francisco, California, where he remained. In 1917, he was working as a porter in a hotel. He eventually worked as a chef in a restaurant in San Francisco.
12 Benjamin Harrison Plymale
Benjamin Harrison Plymale was born on August 14, 1888 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co., Oregon 1,7,8,9. He died on February 10, 1929 in Medford, Jackson Co., Oregon 1,7,8,9. He is buried in the Eastwood I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Medford, Jackson Co., Oregon.
Father: William Jasper Plymale
Mother: Josephine Lucretia Martin
Benjamin was named after Benjamin Harrison, President of the United States. He was actually named after him before he was elected President and during the time that he was campaigning under the Republican ticket. Benjamin never liked the full "Benjamin" and always went by "Ben."
In September 1888, when Ben was only one month old, his family's house burned down and they escaped with only the clothes on their backs. Existing under limited financial means and having no home, they were probably the subjects of charity during this time. They probably rented a home in Jacksonville until 1890 when they purchased a house at 180 N Oregon Street in Jacksonville. Ben lived in this house for most of his youth (1890 to 1904). Ben's parents never had much money, but they valued their children's education very highly. Ben attended St. Mary's Catholic School in Jacksonville (they considered it to be the best in town) even though the family were Methodists. Despite their devotion to Ben's educational pursuits, William and Josephine apparently did not provide Ben the best childhood. Being the youngest in a family of 12 children and having two relatively old parents who spent most of their time on literary and political pursuits, Ben may have surely felt a little unloved. (Ben's daughter said years later rather bluntly that William was a "n'er-do-well" and Josephine was a "bad mother." She also mentioned that Ben's sister Kate - who was 20 years older and Ben's primary caretaker besides his mother - never liked children.)
Ben's mother died in 1899 when he was only 10 years old. His father then died in 1904, leaving him an orphan at the age of 15. To make matters worse, after the death of his parents, their financial problems became clearer when their house was nearly repossessed because of nonpayment. At that time, Ben's unmarried sister Kate Plymale was appointed guardian of Ben and his brother Victor (who at 17, was also a minor). Six months later, Kate Plymale was married to Tom Collins. Soon after the marriage, Ben moved with them to Tom's house in the nearby city of Medford, Oregon. Ben was only in his sister's guardianship for about 8 months. In September 1904, she resigned guardianship and Ben (who was then 16) was then put under the guardianship of George Nichols (who was the brother of his aunt-by-marriage, Jane Nichols Plymale). The reason for this change in guardianship, and it is unknown if Ben ever lived with the Nichols family. Either way, Ben continued living in Medford where he attended and graduated from Medford High School.
At some point after attaining his legal majority, Ben moved out on his own. In 1910, he was living in a house in Medford with two other boarders. He apparently spent the rest of his life living in various places in or in the vicinity of Medford. In 1910, Ben was working as a traveling salesman. In the early 1910s, Ben apparently opened and operated a restaurant in Medford with his partner Ernest Heffler. The restaurant was apparently not successful though. By 1911, Ben had begun working for the Model Clothing Company in Medford as a clerk. He remained employed by that company for many years and in about 1925, he took over as manager of the store. He was still the manager of Model Clothing Company at the time of his death in 1929.
Surviving records infer that Ben was a happy individual who enjoyed having fun. Some records during the 1910s show that some of his activities included going on duck hunting trips, going on trips to the Oregon Coast, attending dances and parties, and drinking alcohol. At some point during the mid-1910s, Ben began a relationship with a young woman named Vera Merriman, who was 8 years younger. Their relationship may have started because Ben was close friends with Claud "Shorty" Miles, who was married to Vera's sister Blanche. Ben and Vera had probably started dating by 1915 and were engaged by 1917.
In 1917, following a call for volunteers to serve in World War I, Ben enlisted in the United States army. He had two years' service in the army in which he was a Mess Sergeant. He spent the majority of that time overseas in Europe and took many photos during his time there. Ben returned to Medford after his service ended and he and Vera quickly decided to get married. There were married in May of 1920. For the next five years, Ben and Vera both worked and saved money to buy a house. In about 1925, they purchased a house at 59 N Orange Street in Medford. Ben was a member of the Elks and the American Legion. Ben's happy life was cut short when he died quite suddenly from intestinal obstruction and peritonitis following a surgery three days earlier. He was only 40 years old. (Eerily, his closest-in-age brother Victor died two days later in California following a surgery to remove a tumor in his neck.)
Records infer that Ben was one of the only successful members of the family. When his brother Frank died in 1928, only Ben, and his siblings Kate, Emaline, Marie and David were counted on to help pay for the expenses. The other siblings - Ada, Walter and Victor - were acknowledged as being too poor.
He was married to Vera Vivian Merriman on May 16, 1920 in Medford, Jackson Co., Oregon 1,10.
1 Ben Telfer Plymale
2 Mary Josephine Plymale was born on January 1, 1929 in Medford, Jackson Co., Oregon 1,11. She died on December 19, 2003 in Woodinville, King Co., Washington 11. She is buried in the Acacia Memorial Park, Seattle, King Co., Washington.
She married to Paul Wesley Brown on November 8, 1947 in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon.
Tracy Louise Brown
Margaret Lynne Brown
Ben Telfer Plymale was born on May 23, 1926 in Medford, Jackson Co., Oregon 1,2. He died on August 8, 1981 in Bella Bella, British Columbia, Canada 3,4. He is buried in the Calvary Cemetery, Seattle, King Co., Washington.
Father: Benjamin Harrison Plymale
Mother: Vera Vivian Merriman
Ben was named after his own father who always hated the full version of the name "Benjamin." Ben spent his youth in Medford. His father died when he was just a toddler, and his mother raised him and his sister by herself during the Great Depression. Despite the lack of a father in his upbringing, Ben was apparently doted on by his older relatives (many of whom were childless). Ben was a gifted child, with an interest for education and discovering how things work, like electrical and mechanical objects. Ben spent his entire youth at the family's home at 59 N Orange Street in Medford, Oregon.
In 1941, Ben and his family moved to Portland, Oregon. They lived at 3934 NE Alameda Street. There, Ben attended Grant High School where he graduated probably in June of 1944. While in high school, Ben worked in the mail order department at Montgomery Ward in Portland. Meanwhile, Ben had been enrolled in the ROTC program with aims at paying for college, but was kicked out of the program because of some cheating scandal. He then enlisted in the Navy in February 1944. He entered active service in Seattle, Washington, where he attended a Navy college training program (V-12 Unit) at the University of Washington. Later, he spent 16 weeks at the Naval Training Station in Great Lakes, Illinois. The majority of Ben's active service was on Guam, part of which was spent during World War II. Ben was honorably discharged on June 7, 1946 in Bremerton, Washington. Meanwhile, Ben attended the University of Portland in Portland, Oregon, where he graduated in 1948 with a Bachelor's degree in Physics and Mathematics.
Meanwhile, Ben was married to Patricia Bixby in 1948. They honeymooned in San Francisco, California and then moved directly to Seattle, Washington. Ben attended graduate school at the University of Washington in Seattle, but he never finished his degree. In their first two years living in Seattle, it appears that Ben did not hold any regular job. During this time, Patricia worked as a secretary to support them until she quit in December 1949, 3 months before she had their first child George. In November 1950, Ben was hired at Boeing Company as an engineer and remained with them until his death.
When Ben and Patricia first moved to Seattle in 1948, they lived in an apartment in the Phinney Ridge area. In 1951, they moved to an apartment in the Rainier Beach area of south Seattle. In 1953, they purchased a house at 3413 Bella Vista Avenue S in the Mt. Baker neighborhood of Seattle, where they remained. Ben was highly successful at Boeing Company and had become a low-level executive by the 1960s. During his time at Boeing he worked on many programs including ballistic missile development. In 1959, Ben purchased some beach-front land near Port Angeles, Washington and had a cabin built; used as a recreation/vacation home for him and his family.
Ben and Patricia were divorced in 1968. Ben remarried to Susan Reardon later that year, who had five children from a previous marriage. In that same year, Ben moved to Annapolis, Maryland, where he had accepted a position working in the Department of Defense as an adviser. In 1972, he returned to Seattle where he purchased a home on Lake Washington. He eventually became a Vice President at Boeing Company, but still devoted attention to Republican politics. In 1980-1981, Ben served on Ronald Reagan's transitionary team. He even co-authored Reagan's original defense budget. By middle age, Ben had become rather unhealthy. He suffered two heart attacks and contracted lung cancer, and had one of his lungs removed. Ben turned around his unhealthy habits and beat those diseases. Unfortunately though, he died on August 8, 1981 while on a fishing trip in rural Canada, because he neglected to take oxygen supplies with him. He was 55 years old.
He married first to Patricia Joy Bixby on June 5, 1948 in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon.
1 George Francis Plymale was born on March 11, 1950 in Seattle, King Co., Washington 1,2. He died on November 21, 1989 in Seattle, King Co., Washington 4. He is buried in the Evergreen-Washelli Cemetery, Seattle, King Co., Washington.
He married to Vickie Jean Moon on September 3, 1975 in Seattle, King Co., Washington. They divorced in 1980.
He had a relationship with Jodi June Kelkenburg.
They had one son:
Shane Robert Plymale
2 Catherine Jean Plymale [identifying information on living individual is withheld].
She married first Douglas Richard Wilks on April 25, 1972 in Seattle, King Co., Washington. They divorced in 1986.
Ira David Wilks
She married second to John Robert Mallett on August 12, 1989 in Seattle, King Co., Washington. They divorced circa 1995.
3 Infant Plymale was stillborn on December 12, 1953 in Seattle, King Co., Washington 5. He is buried in the Calvary Cemetery, Seattle, King Co., Washington.
4 Barbara Ann Plymale
5 Deane Francis Plymale was born on May 14, 1956 in Seattle, King Co., Washington 1,2. He died on June 11, 2000 in Seattle, King Co., Washington 11. He is buried in the Evergreen-Washelli Cemetery, Seattle, King Co., Washington.
He married to Sherrie Angela Schreier.
Deana Christine Plymale
Christopher Pre Plymale
6 Martha Jane Plymale was born on May 14, 1956 in Seattle, King Co., Washington 1,2. She died on February 24, 1957 in Seattle, King Co., Washington 2. She is buried in the Calvary Cemetery, Seattle, King Co., Washington.
Ben had a relationship with Marilyn June Greaves during the mid-1960's. They were not married. They had one child:
1 Andrea Greaves Plymale [identifying information on living individual is withheld]
Ben married second to Susan Catherine Hodges, ex wife of William James Reardon, on January 25, 1968 in Everett, Snohomish Co., Washington 6. She was born on August 9, 1936 in Great Falls, Cascade Co., Montana. She died on June 30, 1990 in Seattle, King Co., Washington 4. She is buried in the Calvary Cemetery, Seattle, King Co., Washington.
Barbara Ann Plymale [identifying information on living individual is withheld]
Father: Ben Telfer Plymale
Mother: Patricia Joy Bixby
She married David Randall Wadleigh.
For information on their children, see his page.
1. Plymale, John F. The Plymale Family in America. Commercial Printing & Lithographic Co.: Huntington, WV, 1967.
2. Genealogical dates and records, written by Patricia J. Plymale, c. 1987
3. Obituary of Ben Plymale, The Washington Post, August 15, 1981
4. Washington State Death Index
5. Tombstone Inscription, Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Seattle, WA
6. Washington State Marriage Index, 1968-1997
7. Obituary of Ben H. Plymale, Medford Mail Tribune, February 11, 1929
8. Tombstone Inscriptions, Eastwood IOOF Cemetery, Medford, OR
9. Death Certificate of Ben Plymale, Jackson Co., OR, 1929
10. Marriage records, Jackson Co., OR
11. Social Security Death Index
12. Obituary of William J. Plymale, Siskiyou News, January 14, 1904
13. Walling, Albert G. History of Southern Oregon. 1884.
14. Jacksonville Cemetery Index, Jacksonville, OR
15. Tombstone inscriptions, Jacksonville Cemetery, Jacksonville, OR
16. Obituary of William L. Plymale, Medford Mail Tribune, April 27, 1921
17. California State Death Index
18. Marriage Records, Siskiyou Co., CA
19. Birth Notice of Ada Plymale, Jacksonville Democratic Times, September 22, 1866
20. Obituary of Douglas A. Jones, Ashland Tidings, c. November 1900
21. Birth Notice of Kate Plymale, Jacksonville Reveille, May 2, 1868
22. Obituary of Kate Kime, Medford Mail Tribune, November 11, 1960
23. Birth Notice of Walter Plymale, Jacksonville Democratic Times, January 22, 1870
24. Death Certificate of Louis H. Plymale, Jackson Co., OR, 1916
25. Obituary of Frank Plymale, Medford Mail Tribune, April 5, 1928
26. Matrimonial of Emma Plymale and Melville Stine, Ashland Tidings, May 7, 1900
27. Obituary of Mary Fairfield, Medford Mail Tribune, September 9, 1953
28. Obituary of David H. Plymale, Medford Mail Tribune, c. October 1933
29. Assorted US Federal Census records
30. Death Certificate of Victor B. Plymale, 1929, San Francisco Co., CA
31. Genealogical Material in Oregon Donation Land Claims. 1962, Volume 3.
32. Information from Zelia Zigler Von Tress, 1993
33. Obituary of Minerva J. Armstrong, Medford Mail Tribune, October 20, 1910
34. Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900. Illinois State Archives
35. Death Notice of Robert C. Armstrong, Jacksonville Democratic Times, November 5, 1880
36. Obituary of Francis Plymale, Ashland Tidings, February 19, 1900
37. Death Certificate of Sebastian Plymale, Multnomah Co., OR, 1920
38. Delayed birth record of Paul R. Zigler, Douglas Co., OR
39. Oregon State Death Index
40. Cemetery index, Roseburg IOOF Cemetery, Roseburg, OR
41. Death certificate of Narrissa Giannini, Multnomah Co., OR, 1924
42. Plymale.com website
43. Obituary of Emily Autenrieth, Yreka Journal, July 6, 1910
44. Matrimonial of Edward Autenrieth and Emma Plymale, Jacksonville Democratic Times, October 30, 1874
45. New Orleans, LA, Birth Records
46. Tombstone inscription, Evergreen Cemetery, Yreka, CA
47. Online gedcom family files
48. Ohio Marriages, 1803-1900, Ancestry.com
49. Obituary of Mamie Plymale, Siskiyou News, January 6, 1927
50. Death Certificate of Thomas B. Collins, Jackson Co., OR, 1928
51. Virginia Marriages, 1740-1850, Ancestry.com
52. Newspaper article, San Francisco Chronicle, Dec. 10, 1892, Pg. 5
53. Death notice of William L. Plymale, Yreka Journal, April 27, 191
54. Birth notice of McClellan Plymale, Jacksonville Democratic Times, Jun. 4, 1864
55. Obituary of Ada C. Jones, unknown Medford, Oregon newspaper, c. Nov. 1933
56. Death notice of Douglas Jones, The Daily Journal [Salem, OR], Nov. 9, 1900, Pg. 4
57. Virginia, Deaths and Burials Index, 1853-1917. Ancestry.com
58. Obituary of James Plymale, The Christian Advocate [St. Louis, MO], May 6, 1868, Pg. 51
59. Tombstone inscriptions, Bethel Cemetery, Readers Mill/Logan, Harrison Co., Iowa
60. Death notice of Elizabeth Ross, Jacksonville Democratic Times, May 16, 1890, Pg. 3
61. Death certificate of Emily Autenrieth, 1910, Douglas Co., OR, #1669
Go here to go to the Plymale family website. This is where I have gotten a lot of my information.
Some interesting/famous descendants of Gabriel Plymale:
Rhea Mitchell (1890-1957) of Oregon and California was the granddaughter of Elizabeth Plymale Ross. She was an early and somewhat famous silent film actress, enduring her most fame during the mid 1910's. She played in a total of 72 films from 1912 to 1951. She was murdered in Los Angeles, California in 1957.
Zelia Zigler McElroy Von Tress (1903-) of Oregon, California, Pennsylvania and Indiana is the granddaughter of Sarah Plymale Zigler and is noted as being an early executive and female business person.
Cornelious J. Armstrong (1853-1943) son of Minerva Plymale Armstrong is reputed to have been the first white child born in Jacksonville, Oregon.
Anderville P. Armstrong (1855-1922) son of Minerva Plymale Armstrong was the proprietor, owner, president and principal of the Portland Business College in Portland, Oregon.
Leah Fairchild McConnell (1905-1995) was the daughter of Marie Plymale Fairchild. She was an early and quite successful business woman as well as a philanthropist who did much for the improvement of cities in Northern California.