Ethel Arretha Phenis

Notes:

The family data below needs confirmation;

Ethel listed her gt.uncles and aunts (children of William, son of Marmaduke Coats) as John, Thomas -whom she personally knew as Uncle Tom, William, her grandmother Sally, Esley Coats Hayworth and Hester Coats McCool.

John Coats had offspring George, Harmon (who had four children), Marthy and Sindy.

Thomas Coats had offspring Oliver, Albert, Hester, Lotta and Sinda.

Esley Coats Hayworth had offspring Rodssanna, Lottie, Rilla, Henry and John.

Hester Coats McCool had offspring Henry (husband of aunt Maggie? Phenis) and Emeline (mother of Mrs Paxton).

Ethel married William Meade McWethy on 29 Sep 1897. William (son of John Graham McWethy and Elizabeth Strait) was born on 8 Feb 1867 in Darke County, Ohio; died on 13 Sep 1945 in Stillwater, Payne County, Oklahoma; was buried in Fairlawn Cemetery, Stillwater, Payne County, Oklahoma. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Faye McWethy was born on 23 Aug 1898 in Logan County, Oklahoma; died on 23 Oct 1992 in Stillwater, Payne County, Oklahoma; was buried in Stillwater, Payne County, Oklahoma.
2. Franklin Mead McWethy was born on 8 Feb 1901 in Logan County, Oklahoma.
3. Marie McWethy was born on 26 Dec 1902 in Logan County, Oklahoma; was christened in 1916 in Guthrie, Logan County, Oklahoma.
4. Lunora McWethy was born on 10 Feb 1911 in Lorena, Beaver County, Oklahoma; died on 8 Mar 1999 in Stillwater, Payne County, Oklahoma.

Notes:

Known as Riley. The I.G.I. records April 21 as his birthday. This was probably the day he was baptised. Made the "run," with his brother Isaac, on 22 April 1889 and each filed on a 160 acre farm about eight miles north-east of Guthrie, Oklahoma. Using his father's watch he timed his last dose of medicine.

Phenis family information is based in part on Ethel Arretha Phenis bible entries (initiated circa 1930) in THE HOLY BIBLE CONTAINING OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS, translated out of the original tongues: and with the former translations diligently compared and revised. "International" series, self-pronouncing edition-International Bible Press, Philadelphia, USA The John C. Winston Co., Philadelphia. Small pica. octavio. clear type edition 1223 pages plus 17 maps [Holy Bible Self Pronouncing inscribed on spine] green cloth board cover, is in very fragile state. This family Bible, of which edition there is no copy in the Library of Congress, was passed down in the family Mrs. Ethel Arrentha McWethy to her daughter, Faye McWethy. Collection of Judith Keeth of Wichita (1998).

William married Flora Jane Norton on 3 Jul 1873 in Kansas. Flora (daughter of William Norton and Sarah Freer) was born on 8 Jun 1855 in Mohaska County, Iowa; died on 12 Apr 1929 in Stillwater, Payne County, Oklahoma; was buried in Ripley Oak Park Cemetery, Ripley, Payne County, Oklahoma. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From FindAGrave:

Obituary:

Flora Jane Norton was born in Mohaska County, Iowa near the town of Oskaloose, on June 8, 1855 being 73 years, 10 months and 4 days of age at her death, April 12 1929. She was united in marriage to William Riley Phenis, near Madison, Kan., on July 3, 1873 and to this union six children were born, three having preceded her in their infancy to that better world. The other three being Mrs. Ethel McWethy, Mrs. Orpha Thomas, and Evart C. Phenis. Besides these three children she leaves one brother, Charles R. Norton of Madison, Kan., one sister, Mrs. Elnora Lyman, of Emporoa, Kan.; eight grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, a number of relatives and a host of friends to mourn her loss.

Her husband, William Riley Phenis, departed this life on May 26, 1909, just twenty years ago.They both united with the Christian church at Guthrie, Okla., thirty-five years ago, and were both charter members of the Christian churches at Perkins and Agra, Okla.

She lived a faithful Christian life, always devoting her time and strength to the welfare of others, forgetting herself in doing good to them.

She expressed herself as being ready to go and longed to meet her husband and loved ones over there.

The funeral sermon was preached in the Christian church in Ripley by Evangelist J.W. Garner to a crowded house, after which her mortal remains were laid to rest in the Ripley cemetery.

Notes:

Ken Harvey writes that:

"Solomon Phenis was born on 10th Dec 1810 according to Mead McWethy. This contradicts other records. Phenis is a German name and the original immigrant ancestor was thought to have been a Hessian soldier employed by the British during the American Revolution. He is therefore thought to have come from the then German state of Hesse.

One Phenis brother is said to have died in in the war, another said to have returned to Hesse, and the the third one married a local girl.

The family is known to have moved from Indiana to Kansas. On the basis of submitted I.G.I. birth data the family appear to have moved from Kokomo, Howard, Indiana to the Madison-Emporia area of Kansas between 1851 and 1858. Strangely the as yet unexamined census data appears to suggest that the family moved after 1860.

[Note: A Solomon Phenis, born ca 1811 in Indiana, was living in Union County, Indiana in 1870--the two families may have been conflated]

Solomon Phenis's watch, made in 1879 or earlier, is in the possession of Franklin Meade McWethy's children (1996)."

From FindAGrave:

Kansas Collection Books: William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas, Greenwood Co., Part 10:

SOLOMON PHENIS, farmer, Section 13, P. O. Madison, is one of the oldest settlers of this region. Born in Preble County, Ohio, in 1817. His parents removed to Indiana in 1823, and in 1855 he, with five of his neighbors from Hamilton County, that State, started for Kansas, making the journey by ox-team in thirty-four days; and locating upon the banks of a small stream, which has ever since been known as "Phenis Creek," upon the north line of what was then Madison County, bur subsequently became part of Lyon.

The party was joined during the same year by a brother of Mr. Phenis (Judge J. R. Phenis) and several of his former neighbors, thus forming quite a settlement. Lawrence was then their nearest post office and the mail was delivered weekly by carriers from that city, the settlers here paying him at the rate of a dollar per month for each family. This continued until the post office was established at Emporia.

In 1860, Mr. Phenis was thrown from his horse and his thigh bone broken, which, being imperfectly set, owing to no medical man being at hand, has rendered him a cripple for life, and in spite of of his earnest desire to do so, prevented his entering the army. In 1863, he removed to this county, locating on a farm on Section 25, Town 22, Range 12, this township, where he remained until October, 1880, when he sold it and removed to his present one, which is nearer town, and upon which he has built a very fine house, the interior of which is very conveniently arranged and thoroughly furnished throughout, costing $1,500. Nearly half of his present farm is under cultivation, his corn yield being fifty-five bushels per acre.

In 1839, Mr. Phenis married Miss Sarah Coats, who bore him thirteen children, the eldest of whom, Cyrus, born May 23, 1841, enlisted May 13, 1862, in Company B, Ninth Kansas Cavalry, and served three years, being discharged May 18, 1865, and who, while upon his return home was taken ill, and died at Emporia upon the anniversary of his birth, May 23, 1865. The remaining nine children now left to Mr. Phenis are Esley, born August 28, 1842; John Newton, born June 11, 1847; Isaac, January 23, 1848; Charles, February 14, 1850; William Riley April 14, 1852; Evangeline, April 2, 1854; Nina, January 23, 1858;Hannah, February 28, 1861; and Ellsworth, April 21, 1862. All save the youngest are married, and all reside in the State and have made the subject of this sketch a grandfather no less than twenty-two times. Mrs. Phenis died October 11, 1876, and on January 18, 1877, he married his present consort, Mrs. Elizabeth Jones, nee Harrison, who is also one of the earlier settlers of the State. Mr. P. has never cared to accept any office, and, although twice elected County Commissioner, refused to serve; upon the last occasion, although compelled to qualify in order to satisfy the desires of his friends, he resigned the next day. His brother, I. R. Phenis, is Probate Judge of the county.

He is shown on FindAGrave as a son of Solomon W. Phenis of Wilkes County, GA and Elizabeth Hammond. of Oglethorpe, GA.


(Research):

Census Listings:

1870 Census
Kansas, Greenwood County, Madison Township, PO Madison
Enumerated 7 Jun 1870
Page 6
43-43
Phenis, Solomon 52 M W Farmer 4800 1750 Ohio
Phenis, Sallie 46 F W Keeping House Ind
Phenis, Ersula A 25 F W Ind
Phenis, Charles J 20 m W Works on Farm Ind
Phenis, William R 18 M W Works on Farm Ind
Phenis, Evangeline L 15 F W Ind
Phenis, Nina E 12 f W Kansas
Phenis, Hannah C 9 F W Kansas
Phenis, Solomon E 8 M W Kansas
Coats, Charlotte 74 F W South Carolina

Solomon married Sarah "Sallie" Coats about 1839. Sarah was born on 6 Mar 1823 in Marion County, Indiana; died on 11 Oct 1876 in Lyon County, Kansas; was buried in Haworth Cemetery, Emporia, Lyon County, Kansas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From FindAGrave:

Obituary
Courtesy of Greenwood County Historical Society
Died of congestive chills, while on a visit to her son in Lyon County, after a few hours' illness Wednesday, October 11, 1876, Sally wife of Solomon Phenis of Madison, Greenwood County, Kansas, in the 54th year of her age.

The subject of this memoir was born March 6, 1823, in Marion county, Indiana. (Daughter of William & Charlotte Coats.) She was married to her now bereaved husband in 1839. They immigrated to Kansas in March 1855, and settled on Phenis creek, and moved from there to their present home on the Verdigris River in 1861.

Coming to Kansas in its earliest settlement, she necessarily met with all the privations of pioneer life, which she always bore with not only the greatest fortitude but was ever ready to extend a helping hand and sympathy to all who were less fortunate than she, as many a greatful heart will testify by a thrill of sadness upon hearing of her death. She acted well her part in all the relations of life, as wife, mother and neighbor. Though humble in life she was widely known by a large circle of friends and acquaintances; who extend their sympathies to the sadly bereaved family in this their hour of their sore affliction.

For consolation we would point the afflicted to the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world; and may they and we take warning by this dispensation, and ever be ready to meet the messenger when he comes.


Ken Harvey writes that she was "The family name Coats is believed to be associated with the "Coats-Clark" thread manufacturers.

William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, is supposed to have given to a forefather of Sallie Coats a tract of land including the Philadelphia waterfront. The fortunate ancestors were supposed to have been Bartholomew Coppack (original grantee) whose daughter Mary married Marmaduke Coate. Bartholomew also had sons. The idea is that the lease on this valuable land expired and that it should have reverted to the heirs.

Swindlers tell "heirs" in such cases that enormous corporations and banks are illegally conspiring to hold on to their property. A properly financed claim, they say, would return the "estate" to them. To launch a claim, the "heirs" must raise funds for attorney's fees and establish their lineages.

In this case Ethel A. Phenis was asked for $6 which in 1926 was quite a lot of money. There is no certainty that she paid. In such cases hungry and genealogically unsophisticated people often grafted the ancestry of somebody else onto their own family tree to prove their connection.

In her submission Ethel A. Phenis gave Sarah's total number of children as eight. They were listed as Newton, Isaac, Charlie, Rilley, Esley, Minna, Eva and Hannah. Her son gives the number as nine It is however very likely in my opinion that Cyrus, Esley, Newton, Eve and Ellsworth were not Sarah's children.

It was claimed by Ethel A. Phenis that Sallie's parents were William Coate and Lottie Wright but as there was a financial objective, see above, this data is possible more hopeful than factual and certainly needs confirmation.

Ethel was in contact, in 1923, with another presumed claiment who considered herself a cousin of Ethel. She was M.A. Coppock of Emporia, Kansas. At least she addressed her letter to "Dear Cousin" - possibly an assumption based on their mutual goal.

Mead McWethy would have known of the information that his mother had intended giving to the Ohio based Coppock-Coate Claimant Association in 1926. This particular Association was possibly a fraudulent exploitation of an arguably legitimate claim. It is unlikely that Ethel ever sent the $6 required as the original application is in the possession of Penny Ethlen Payne (1996) and Lunora McWethy (1996) thinks that her mother was unable to afford it at the time.

Mead McWethy states very clearly that there is very little reliable information available regarding Sallie Coats' parentage. He noted that all of Solomon and Sallie Phenis's children were deceased by 1956 and he seems to have had little patience with the claim, unlike his mother."

William + Sarah Freer. Sarah was born about 1827 in Pennsylvania; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]