|
a.
|
Note: Bunyan Clinton Moots was born in Hudson, McLean County, Illinois on February 10, 1869. He was born on his father's birthday. His parents were Charles Marion Moots and Adaline Busick. Charles Moots, Jr. and Mary E. Moore were his paternal grandparents; Nathaniel Busick and Cynthia Ann Stretch his maternal grandparents. He may have known his great-grandfather, Charles Moots, Jr. who was still alive at the time of his birth and living in Ohio. Charles Moots, Jr. didn't pass on until 1878, when Bunyan was 9 years old. He undoubtedly, knew his great-grandmother, Cynthia Stretch, who was also still alive and living nearby. She lived until Bunyan was 15 years old.
Charles Marion and Adaline Busick Moots belonged to the United Brethern in Christ Church at the time of the birth of their son, Bunyan C.. I feel that because the Church was so important to them that Bunyan spent his early years, at least every Sunday, at that nearby Church. A marker where the Church was built, still stands along a country road near the farm where Bunyan was born. His uncle, William D. Moore, is named as one of the founding fathers of that Illinois branch of The United Bretren in Christ Church. That his family was religious, there is no doubt. Old Church records show that the family was very generous in giving to the Church, as well as donating fruit trees. My sister, Mary, and I spent hours in the basement of the United Methodist Church in Bloomington where all the old church records are located. The fruit trees were grown in orchards along side of the old Church and when the fruit was ripe on them, the local Native Americans and the less fortunate were encouraged to pick the fruit and use it to feed their families.
Bunyan's name, although unusual, was further proof of the family's religious devotion. He was named after, John Bunyan, who wrote "Pilgrim's Progress". A very popular book of the time, that encouraged righteous living for good Christian's.
'Bunnie' as he was called all his life, loved to play with his older brother, Lincoln, who was called 'Linc'. He often spoke of those early years and his fondness for his older brother. Linc died suddenly when he was just 8 years old and 'Bunnie' was just 4 years old. But, he remained in 'Bunnie's' memories all his life, and he passed on his earliest memories of him to his children; describing their happy, playful times together. My father, Gene, told me about Lincoln Abraham, Bun's sibling. His name alone fascinated me as a child.
'Bun's' childhood must have been a joyful one. He had six brothers and sisters to play with, as well as numerous cousins living close by. Busicks, Ogdens, Trimmers, Stretchs and Vandolahs were abundant in the nearby farming communities. The family, as well as the extended families, were engaged in selling, breeding, training and racing horses and numerous other related trades. The horse selling and trading business seemed to serve Charles Marion Moots very well. He was able to accumulate a lot of property during his life time and died a wealthy man in his day.
It seems that Bunyan, like his father, wanted to make his own way and earn his own wealth. At age 20, in 1889 he left Illinois and went to Helena, Montana, where he lived in a boarding house for over a year. While there, he tried his hand at mining while enjoying a taste of the "wild, wild west". It is unknown how sucessful he was or what adventures he experienced, but I'm sure he had many tales to tell when he returned to his home in Illinois in 1891.
There is no doubt that Bunyan was a handsome man. We can tell by old photographs that still exist. He probably had many young women in his neighborhood attracted to him. When he was 22 years old or so, he became involved with a young woman named Susie Campfield, and she eventually found herself expecting their child. Shortly before the baby's birth, they moved in together. They took a house at 214 E. Douglas St. in Bloomington where the baby boy was born. There is no way of knowing the nature of the relationship, or the scandal it might have caused to both their families. But, I'm sure that when Linus Charles Moots was born, he was dearly loved by all members of both families. However, very quickly after L. C. Moots' birth, he became ill with Cholera Infantum and died just 10 days later. The devastating death of their child, must have destroyed both Bunyan and Susie. Their relationship did not last. Within a year, the couple had separated and Susie married a man by the name of Oscar Reiner, in June 1893.
I'm not sure how or when, Bunnie and Mary Helen Sweeney met. One thing I am sure of is that it wasn't at Church. Mary Helen was from a devout Roman Catholic family and she remained true to her faith all of her life. Around the time that they met, The United Brethren in Christ Church had merged Nationwide with The Methodist Church, to become The United Methodist Church. Both, Mary Helen and 'Bun' fell deeply in love with each other. That they loved each other and were completely devoted to each other all of their lives has been attested to by both their children and grandchildren who witnessed their complete dedication.
Bunyan's father, Charles Marion Moots, passed away in 1903. He had the pleasure of knowing and loving all of Bun's and Mary Helen's children, except for Roy, before he left this world. Charles Marion left a Last Will and Testament in which he appointed Bunyan as the sole guardian of Sarah Gertrude Moots and her estate. Sarah Gertrude was Charles and Adaline Busick Moots' youngest child. She seemed to have had some slight mental impairment that made her need some amount of supervision all of her life. She received property equal to their other children's, but her personal care and the entrustment of her share of his estate was emparted to Bunyan exclusively. This leads me to believe that Bunyan's father loved him very much and thought him the most honorable of all of his children.
Record found in Vital Records for McLean Co., IL Name: Moots , ? AKA: Birthday: 7 - 1 - 1892 Place of Birth Bloomington Sex: Male Race: White Father Moots , Bunn Clinton Mother Campfield , Susie I. Book: 5 Page: 166 Number: 12411 1st child Susie I. Campfield gave her name as Susie I. Moots and her maiden name as Campfield on the birth record of a son that was born to this relationship. The record of the birth of their male child is located in the Illinois Regional Archives Depository - Volume 5 Record #12411 Page 166 . Their residence was given as 214 E. Douglas, Bloomington, IL. The medical attendant at the birth was G.R. Smith of Bloomington. After searching the Illinois Regional Archives Depository - No marriage record or divorce record with the names Bunn Moots and Susie Campfield was found. However, a death record for their child was located. Record #5263 Volume 3 Page 35 The child, L.C. Moots died July 11, 1892 at 4a.m. of Cholera Infantum just 10 days after his birth. The medical attendant was G.R. Smith of Bloomington. The residence of the infant was 214 E. Douglas, Bloomington, IL.
Helena, Montana Directories, 1889-91 about Bunn C Moots Name:Bunn C Moots City: Helena State:MT Occupation: laborer Year: 1891 Location 213 Joliet 2:rooms Source Information: Ancestry.com. Helena, Montana Directories, 1889-91 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2000. Original data: Helena, MT, 1889. Helena, MT: A. W. Ide, 1889. Helena, MT, 1890-91. Helena, MT: A. W. Ide, 1890. Helena, MT, 1891. Helena, MT: A. W. Ide, 1891.
Note: Bun Moots and Amos H. Patterson filed for a patent on an invention: Title: Drill Press Patent Number: 1742517 Author: Amos H. Patterson, Bunnie C. Moots Year: 1930 Month: January
Land Patent Details Serial # NMR 0014039 Land Office: Roswell BLM Serial #: NMR 0014039 State: New Mexico Homestead Entry Acres: 160 Bunnie C. Moots Issue Date: January 27, 1915
"Artesia Heart of the Pecos" Pg 167 By 1906, Lake Arthur was a thriving community with many fine homes. The first having been built by Bill Foster in 1890's. Another followed in 1905 by B. C. Moots. Mrs. Evans said these were two of the finer homes. There were also two hotels, The Michigan and the Lake Arthur Hotel. The Michigan was built from lumber shipped by railroad from Michigan state to Lovington and then transported to Lake Arthur by wagon train.
1870 United States Federal Census about Bunny Moots Name: Bunny Moots Birth Year: abt 1869 Age in 1870: 1 Birthplace: Illinois Home in 1870: Money Creek, McLean, Illinois Race: White Gender: Male Value of real estate: View image Post Office: Towanda Household Members: Name Age Charles Moots 37 Adaline Moots 33 Mary A Moots 12 Francis N Moots 10 Ida Moots 8 Edwin Moots 6 Lincoln Moots 4 Bunny Moots 1 William Gonder 19
1880 United States Federal Census about Bunior Moots Name: Bunior Moots Home in 1880: Money Creek, Mc Lean, Illinois Age: 11 Estimated birth year: abt 1869 Birthplace: Illinois Relation to Head of Household: Son Father's Name: C. M. Father's birthplace: Illinois Mother's Name: Ady Mother's birthplace: Ohio Neighbors: View others on page Occupation: At School Marital Status: Single Race: White Gender: Male Household Members: Name Age C. M. Moots 48 Ady Moots 42 Frank Moots 20 Ida Moots 17 Ed Moots 16 Bunior Moots 11 Burtie Moots 5 Gurtrude Moots 3 George Little 21 Alie Donald 23
Money Creek Township, IL - 1900 Federal Census Index Moots Bunn C. 31 Moots Mamie 30 Moots Howard 5 Moots Moss 3 Moots B Ugene 1 (Eugene spl?) Brown Edward 21 Bahler Albert 17
Chaves Co., NM - 1910 Federal Census Index Moots Bun C. 40 Moots Mamie 40 Moots Howard 14 Moots Moss 13 Moots Eugene 11 Moots Lyle 8 Moots Roy 6 Moots Gertrude 32
1920 United States Federal Census about Bunnie C Moots Name: Bunnie C Moots Home in 1920: Lake Arthur, Chaves, New Mexico Age: 51 [52] Estimated birth year: abt 1869 [abt 1868] Birthplace: Illinois Relation to Head of House: Self (Head) [Head] Spouse's name: Mary H Father's Birth Place: Ohio Mother's Birth Place: Illinois Marital Status: Married Race: White Sex: Male Home owned: Own Able to read: Yes Able to Write: Yes Household Members: Name Age Bunnie C Moots 51 [52] Mary H Moots 50 Gertrude M Moots 23 Eugene Moots 21 Lyle Moots 18 Roy Moots 16
In the year 1919 a law suit was filed against Bunnie C. Moots regarding his sister, Sarah Gertrude, her guardianship and her inheritance. The suit was filed by three of their siblings, Charles E. Moots, Frank Moots and Ida Rogers....and they won the case. In 1920 Bunn Moots appealed the case in the Third District Appelate Court of Illinois April, 1920 The case was over turned and Bunn Moots won. The court found that he had not mishandled her inheritance and that he had not violated any rules of law and had filed reports to the court on an annual basis as required.
Chaves Co, NM - 1930 Federal Census Index MOOTS B. C. 61 LKARTH CHV 189-59 MOOTS EVELYN J. 10 LKARTH CHV 189-62 MOOTS GERTRUDE 52 LKARTH CHV 189-64 MOOTS LYLE 28 LKARTH CHV 189-61 MOOTS MARY BELLE 8 LKARTH CHV 189-63 MOOTS MARY H. 60 LKARTH CHV 189-60
|
