Cherokee Indian Connection Part 2

A 2-2  Cherokee Indian Connection Part 2

Addition 6/14/2014;  In the Clint Eastwood movie, “The Outlaw Josey Wales”, Chief Dan George’s character talks about the Cherokee’s. 

This was a remarkably accurate account that speaks to the betrayal of the Cherokee’s by our government.  Implied but unsaid, was the depth their culture had been absorbed into the white man’s world.  In North Carolina, the Cherokee had owned farms and slaves.  They were educated and functioned as successful merchants, doctors and lawyers.  Two Cherokee lawyers argued, successfully before the Supreme Court, that their evection from North Carolina was illegal, only to have a Presidential order over rule the court and force the Trail of Tears in the 1838 to the east Oklahoma territories.

The movie begins in Missouri during the Civil War, travels through Kansas and at the war’s end, moves through the Oklahoma Indian Territories to Texas.  Except for the fictional plot, the settings, details and historical background are very true to the actual conditions.  It is historically accurate that the Cherokee’s would have been in the character’s path.   

John Schoonover was born in 1872 in Missouri, 7 years after the Civil War ended.   His parents relocated the family to Kansas, where he married Estella Minkler and raised his own family (Oscar and Ila) before removing them to California.  As noted earlier, Henry Schoonover settled in and lived most his life in the Indian territories of Oklahoma.

Someday I will find and read the book upon which the screenplay was based.  The Cherokee Chief’s character is in the book but I want to believe that Chief Dan George wrote some of those moving lines, he had been a poet and author before he began acting at age 60.   Remarkable and worth repeat viewings, if just for his part.

Reverend Joseph Green comes to America

 A 5-1                 Rev.  Joseph Green 1806-1842

Joseph Green was born in Kilmersdon, Somerset, England on 1 Mar 1806.  His parents were William Green and Ann Cox-Green who remained in England.  He married Elizabeth Bryant on 16 May 1826. Her parents were Charles Bryant and Betty Parsons-Bryant.  They also remained in England.   Joseph was a plaster and mason before becoming an ardent convert to the Wesleyan movement.  In 1833 he brought his wife and 3 children, Charles, William and Matilda to America.  Almost immediately upon arrival in NY his 4^th child, Emma was born.  Meaning his wife, Elizabeth, endured 6 to 8 weeks at sea while in her 8^th and 9^th months of pregnancy.   Sea voyages at this time were under sail, there was no sanitary plumbing or electricity or refrigeration for food.  Harsh conditions even for the healthy. 

They removed to Shandaken, NY almost immediately after arrival and he began his new life as a circuit minister for the Methodist Church.  His 5th child, Elizabeth was born there while he traveled a circuit among the local communities.  His death in 1836, at age 36, was attributed to pneumonia, brought on by his long hours of riding between these communities in the harsh climate. He had been in America 3 years.

He is buried adjacent to the church he was building in Clovesville, which is in Fleischmanns, NY.  His wife, Elizabeth Bryant-Green, raised his 5 children and was buried by his side after 36 years as a widow.

The Reverend Joseph Green brought his family to New England in 1833 and is the first of our Green surname in the America’s.  He was the 7^th of 8 children.  3 to as many as 5 never reached adulthood.

Mary Ann Green

11 Aug 1793 – 

James Green

24 May 1795 – 8 Feb 1807 age 12

John Green

10 Sep 1797 – between 1861 and 1871 age 64-74

Elizabeth Green

9 Feb 1800 – 14 Jul 1837 age 37

Lucy Green

9 Jan 1803 – 2 Dec 1810 age 7

Sarah Green

8 Mar 1804 – 29 Nov 1810 age 6

Joseph Green

1 Mar 1806 – 7 Jun 1842 age 36

Emanuel Green

10 Dec 1815 – 

 Joseph’s father, William Green, b Nov 1765, d 30 Oct 1837, was one of 11 children. At least 4 died before the age of 4.

Thomas Green

1754 – 

Sarah Green

1758 – 1759 age 1

John Green

1759 – 1762 age 3

Emanuel Green

1761 – 1834 age 73

John Green

1764 – 1765 age 1

William Green

1765 – 1837 age 72

Isaac Green

1768 – 

Honar Green

1771 – 1771 age 0

Jerard Green

1772 – 

Charles Green

1776 – 

Lucy Green

1778 – 

Death was a common occurrence, frequently without understandable explanation.  Superstitions, witches and spells were believable when there was no other explanation.  Faith in God, devotion to a church offered a hope where no other existed. 

Asking for Comments

As of today, our blog (started 4/9/2014) has had 510 'hits' and 1 comment.  20 of those hits came from Germany, 2 others from the UK.  Kind of a mystery on who is looking.  If family we don't know finds us, then we are halfway toward knowing them, but they have to join us to be known.  If you have stumbled upon leads on our family,  please share them, even if we aren't related.  If you wish to remain anonymous, then I will respect your wishes.
This is a search, as well as finding and sharing family stories.
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Metal Of Honor - Cousin Daniel Schoonover

Schoonover Ancestors.

I have spent a lot of time on the Hewitt branch of the family.  In part because they were so local to the Connecticut we settled in and there was such a wealth of information available. We have, for certain, 8 generations of Hewitt surnames, and questionably, 2 more to reach England.  The Van Schoonover surname is 10 generations deep and rock solid before it joins the Green surname.

11 Henndrick Van Schoonhover	b 1600  HOL.  d 1677 NY
10 Class Hendrickse Van Schoonhover	b 1629  HOL. d 1661 NY -1
9 Hendrick Claessen Van Schoonover	b 1652  NY d 1715 NY -4
8 Nicholas Van Schoonover	b 1694  NY d 1764 NJ -16
7 Peter Schoonover	b 1738 NJ d 1812 NY -42
6 Jacobus S Schoonover	b 1785 PA d 1867 IN  -137
5 Peter Schoonover	b 1806 NY d 1867 IN -310.1
4 William Schoonover	b 1839 IN d 1921 KS -680.6
3 John Oscar Schoonover	b 1872 MS, d 1958 CA.
2 Ila Mae Schoonover-Green	b 1902 KA d 1992 NY
1 John Hewitt Green	b 1926 CA

It is a wonder to watch the movement of our Schoonover’s as they traveled and settled across the country.   Even more amazing is the return to upstate NY to an area where the Van Schoonover name had such deep roots.

Although I had established the single line family ancestry above back to Henndrick Van Schoonhover, I have since discovered a web site that traces his descendants.  Visit;  https://sites.google.com/site/schoonoversinamerica/index/schoonover-mastertree1

The numbers to the right of the dates above refer to the numbering used on that web site.  It is admittedly, a confusing site for anyone who hasn’t seen the variety of formats some genealogy sites use.  I will be posting details that clarify our ancestors’ stories in future posts.

Of all the wonderful information on the site, one story in particular touches me deepest.   Of the millions on men and women who have served this country, our highest honor is the “Metal Of Honor”. Since its first award March 25, 1863 until May 13, 2014 only 3,448 have been recognized.  Your cousin Daniel Schoonover was one of these special heroes.

http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/3184/schoonover-dan-d.php

Daniel Schoonover

Rank: Corporal

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: Company A

Division: 13th Engineer Combat Battalion, 7th Infantry Division

Born: 8 October 1933, Boise, Idaho

Departed: Yes

Entered Service At: Boise, Idaho

G.O. Number: 5

Date of Issue: 01/14/1955

Accredited To:

Place / Date: Near Sokkogae, Korea, 8 to 10 July 1953

 Citation

Cpl. Schoonover, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. He was in charge of an engineer demolition squad attached to an infantry company which was committed to dislodge the enemy from a vital hill. Realizing that the heavy fighting and intense enemy fire made it impossible to carry out his mission, he voluntarily employed his unit as a rifle squad and, forging up the steep barren slope, participated in the assault on hostile positions. When an artillery round exploded on the roof of an enemy bunker, he courageously ran forward and leaped into the position, killing 1 hostile infantryman and taking another prisoner. Later in the action, when friendly forces were pinned down by vicious fire from another enemy bunker, he dashed through the hail of fire, hurled grenades in the nearest aperture, then ran to the doorway and emptied his pistol, killing the remainder of the enemy. His brave action neutralized the position and enabled friendly troops to continue their advance to the crest of the hill. When the enemy counterattacked he constantly exposed himself to the heavy bombardment to direct the fire of his men and to call in an effective artillery barrage on hostile forces. Although the company was relieved early the following morning, he voluntarily remained in the area, manned a machine gun for several hours, and subsequently joined another assault on enemy emplacements. When last seen he was operating an automatic rifle with devastating effect until mortally wounded by artillery fire. Cpl. Schoonover's heroic leadership during 2 days of heavy fighting, superb personal bravery, and willing self-sacrifice inspired his comrades and saved many lives, reflecting lasting glory upon himself and upholding the honored traditions of the military service.