Monday, November 26, 2012

Kevin Prevost and Hazel's Family Tree

When I visited Hazel Prevost and her family, Hazel let me know that her nephew Kevin had been doing some research on the family tree.  In an earlier post, Hazel shared her view of how the family grew and developed in Jackson Creek.   Hazel shared this version of our family tree which was researched by Kevin.

Family Tree Info From Kevin Prevost

I believe the questions we have are:

  1. Who was Thomas parents? Kevin views that is probably Alex who was likely Samuel's brother.  Can we confirm that with records and sources?
  2. Can we confirm William Alexander was Thomas son?
  3. What was the relationship between Alex, thomas, and the two Samuel's who were early american settlers in the mid 1700s?  Brothers?  Sons?  Cousins?
  4. How did our original ancestors get to America?  Was it through Delaware as Saumel obviously spent some time there (wills witnessed and records there)?   Or was it through Charleston and French Hugenauts as Hazel thinks?
  5. What was the connection with Illinois in the 1700s?

We will keep following the clues. 

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Interview with Hazel Prevost

I interviewed Hazel Prevost, granddaughter of Ninevah Harris Prevost.  Hazel tells the story of the Jackson Creek Prevos including Alexander Wesley and William Alexander.   She lives in Clark/New Bern, NC.





Wednesday, November 21, 2012

William Alexander's Will

Anne Prevost Smith (Pennsylvania) sent me a copy of William Alexander's will.  This will in longhand dated in July of 1901 shows the passing of the Jackson Creek farm to his two daughters Eldora Belle and Mary Jane.

William Alex Will

The questions I have:
  1. Is the family farm still in Eldora's and Mary Jane's line? 
  2. Where exactly is it?
  3. What is there now?

Monday, November 19, 2012

Collaboration with Ken Garner of Davidson

I swapped some emails with Ken Garner in High Point who is tracking his Garner family tree.  Ken posted an incredible old letter that is the first hand account of a visit with "Squire Billy" and his family. This was Andrew Wesley's father William Alexander.  


Click to enlarge


Ken says:
Hello,My name is Ken Garner, and I live in High Point,NC.
The article from old letters was written by Ella Beck Sinder (my great aunt). Her Mother was Eliza Prevo Beck. Eliza Prevo's mother was Sally and William Prevo. Ella Beck was a siter to my Grandmother Ida Rebecca Beck On my father's side of family.
This letter was given to me by Kate Snider Austin. It was her Mother who wrote this even though she was not well educated. 
Ella was telling about things she was told or remembered.
...The Prevos lived in Randolph County. Jackson Creek was a community in Randolph. It is not far from Denton, NC where I grew up.





Sunday, November 18, 2012

One hypothesis of our original US ancestor

Samuel Prevo -- Birth, immigration and marriage dates have, so far, been lost to us for this "first generation" of US members of our Prevo Family. What is known is that he was a protestant and members of the family living the United States practiced the teachings of Quakerism from at least the 1780s through the 1890s. It is quite possible; however, this was a conversion from their roots as French Camisards (French Calvinists) who emmigrated from the Souther Lozere and Gard regions of Franche near Alais and Florac.

An Interview with R. L. "Pop" Prevost

R. L. "Pop" Prevost
by: Harris Prevost

In 1909, Pop Prevost moved to Hazelwood, N.C. He saw the need for Hazelwood to have electricity but the town didn't have the money for it. No one seemed willing to take the first step so Pop got the wires and telephone poles himself, had them installed, then had the bill sent to him. He kept it until the town could issue bonds and pay for it's electricity. When Pop served as chairman of the Board of Education, he saw a need for the county high schools to offer business education and typing for young girls who would be making their careers as secretaries. He could get no help from Raleigh in establishing this department. There was no money available and none could be expected in the near future. Again, someone had to take the first step. Pop bought the typewriters himself and established the business education department in the local schools. He left the bill in the bottom of his drawer until proper funding became available. Over and over, the pattern of Pop's life was to take the lead to meet a business or community need, even though no one else was willing. His favorite expression was "Make it go!" He took for granted that there wasn't anything he couldn't do.

Tracking the Jackson Creek Prevo family

My cousin Trey and I along with our cousin Anne Smith Prevost have been building out a family tree tracking our ancestor Roscoe Lee Prevost and his family who lived in the Jackson Creek, NC area near Asheboro.  His father was Andew Wesley Prevo son of William Alexander Prevo.

A link to the Geni family tree:
http://www.geni.com/share?t=4845242060660024350

Or: