Jan Hinton-Abbey sends new information about the Carper family, who were early settlers at Silverdale.
She says, "You had written about the Carpers being early settlers. My great-grandfather you had listed in the article was Joseph Henry Carper. His father and mother were William Foster Carper and Elizabeth Spicer.
"I wanted to tell you that Joseph Henry had married twice. I do not know what happen to his wife, Sallie, or why she died but he married a second time and had more children. He married Serilda Dobbins and her family I believe was from around there. In 1880 Serilda was still living at home with her parents. She
was 29 years old in 1880. When she married my great-grandfather she must have been 34 years old and that put her as a late bloomer in having children. She had them late in life. I saw that from the 1880 census.
"Joseph Henry and Serilda had four children. Here are the children from that marriage.
"Homer Ester Carper, born October 3, 1886 of Morrison Bluff, Logan, Arkansas. D: January 3, 1964. Buried in Benton City, Washington Married: Francis Gwaltney Haratt Azar Carper, born April 11, 1891 of Morrison Bluff, Logan, Arkansas. D: September 5, 1970. Buried in Benton City, Washington. Married Bertie Inez
Gwaltney on March 21, 1909.
Willis (Willie) Joseph Carper, born 1893 of Morrison Bluff, Logan, Arkansas. D: February 24, 1938 in Nampa, Canyon, Idaho.
There was an infant girl and she died as an infant. Willis "Joe" was small then too and he had been playing with her. He was tickling her and partly sitting on her. She died shortly after that. It was a sad thing too.
"Joseph Henry and Serilda Dobbins were married Aug. 2, 1885 and I do not know when they had moved to Arkansas. I do know my grandfather Harrat A. was born in Arkansas in 1891.
"Joseph Henry passed away when my grandfather Harrat Azar Carper was seven years old. Serilda passed away when Harrat was 17 years old. She died from TB. She had taken care of someone that had it and Serilda contacted it from that person. While she was ill Harrat took care of her. She asked him to take care and
watch over Joe and Homer. Grandpa Carper did the best he could but he said Homer and Joe were wild and drank a lot. Willis (Joe) Carper also had contacted TB but his was dormant. He had to have surgery later on and with the sleeping medication he had to go under it activated the TB. He died February 24, 1938 of TB. Joseph Henry and Serilda had an infant daughter. Joe was small at the time but he had been playing with her. He had been tickling her and sitting on her. A short time later she had died. They think it was because of how Joe was playing with her. The name and date, of her death, in unknown at this time.
"Joseph Henry Carper is buried between his two wives at Stoney Point
Cemetery, near Scranton, Ark.
"My grandfather Harrat A. and his brother Homer E. Carper married two sisters Bertie (my grandmother) Gwaltney and Francis Gwaltney. I was told by my mother that Felding Gwaltney (Bertie and Francis father) and Serilda Dobbins had a quartet and they use to go around Tennessee and sing.
"I am sure my mother will remember lots more before it is all done and gone."
Regards,
Jan Hinton-Abbey
janiceh@transcosmos.com