Frontier Folk 1870-1950

Tales of Harris and Naola Revis

Harris had a trading post and is said to have met Wild Bill Hickok during that time. Possibly when Hickok was performing with Buffalo Bill’s traveling show. I checked records of performance dates and they were in the central Illinois area during April of 1874, when Hickok was still in the show.

The Buffalo Bill Combination acting troupe 1872: Elisha P. Green, James Butler Hickok, William F. Cody, John B. “Texas Jack” Omohundro, and Eugene Overton

Gold in Idaho

Harris' brother Newton moved out to Idaho and owned a gold placer mine. He died and Harris thought there was foul play. So Harris traveled out there incognito from Illinois but did not discover anything untoward. Harris' grandson has shown me a handwritten letter from Newton to his family in Illinois. I have found numerous newspaper clippings for Newton, so I'll gather those together for a future post! Along with copies of the letter, possibly. . .

A Christian Burial

Sometime between 1880-1900 Naola traveled with her parents (Nathaniel and Louisa) from Illinois to Stephenville, Texas in a covered wagon.

While there, Naola married C. E. Burkett on 2 Oct 1900. They had a little girl, Gertie, in 1901, who died in 1906.

Her father worked as a blacksmith. The Edwards family still has members in Stephenville.

During the long trip in the covered wagon, they encountered a native American tribe mourning a little girl. The father asked Nathaniel to give the child a Christian burial. Nathaniel made a casket and Louisa lined it with fabric that she had in the wagon. The tribe was grateful and made Nathaniel an honorary member.

Bastard Son of the King

Naola's English/Norman lineage goes back to King Henry VIII and beyond to William the Conqueror. See previous posts, "Bastard Son of the King" and "Not a Good Way to Die".

Illinois' Second State Capitol

The Edwards family donated the land for Illinois’ state capitol in Vandalia, Illinois during the early 1800s. This has not been verified. I need to take a road trip and look at the county records someday! When I do I will update this post.

Homelife

Harris had a dog named Pal. They were always growling at each other. Harris would want to lay down on the couch but Pal liked the couch too and neither wanted to give it up for the other. One day Pal disappeared. The family thought that Harris had gotten rid of him but he said that old Pal had just gone off somewhere and died. . .

I am pretty sure that I have a photo of Pal in a box somewhere.

Hopefully I will find it and share it soon!

Harris and Naola's children would sit in the garden with a salt shaker and eat the tomatoes. Naola said that they ate so many that she didn't have much left to can! Her generation knew how to preserve food for the winter months.

Harris' nickname was Teddy because he looked like Teddy Roosevelt.

A Living Connection

Naola had a honeysuckle bush in her Blue Mound garden. The photo shows her daughter, Winnie Revis Kunzman, standing beside her as they look at it. I'm guessing at a date of 1950. Naola gave her granddaughter Lily a start from that bush. Passing it down to the next generation, Lily gave me a start. As you can see, it is thriving in my garden! If you would like a start of that same plant, contact me.

Harris and Naola's children