1870 U.S. Federal Census; State: Illinois; County: Cook; Town: Chicago; Ward: 3; Post Office: Chicago; Page: 343; Enumeration date: 3 "Aug 1870; Enumerator: Wm. Jameson, Ass't Marshal ; Series M593, Microfilm Roll Number 199; Page: 435; Transcribed by Joyce Nelle Ratliff; 20 Mar 2004; Line: 10; Name: Anna Boomer; Age last birthday: 41; Sex: female; Color: white; Profession or occupation: Keeping house; Place of birth: Connecticut.
1900 U.S. Federal Census; State: Mississippi; County: Jackson; Town/township: Beat 3; Enumeration date: 21 Jun 1900; Enumerator: (?); SD: 6; ED: 40; Sheet No.: 36; Page No.: 73; Microfilm Roll No.: T623, Rol 812; Transcribed by Joyce Nelle Ratliff, 10 Mar 2004; Dwelling Number: 767; Family No.: 783; Line: 57; Name: Sophia Cropp; Relation to head of family: wife; Color: white; Sex: female; Month of birth: August; Year of birth: 1870; Age: 29; Marital status: married; Number of years married: 12; Mother of how many children: 5; Number of these children living: 5; Place of birth: Mississippi; Place of birth of father: Germany; Place of birth of mother: Germany; Can read and write: yes; Can speak English: yes.
*1850 U.S. Federal Census; State: Massachusetts; County: Middlesex; Township: Cambridge; Roll: M432_325; Page: 100; Image: 201; Ancestry.Com; Line No.; 17; Transcribed by Joyce Nelle Ratliff, 1 Mar 1850; Line: 18; Name: Ann Glassen; Age: 32; Sex: female; Occupation: Nothing listed; Place of birth: England. (*Probably Annie Ordway's mother) *1860 U.S. Census; State: Massachusetts; County: Middlesex; Town or Township: Cambridge; Ward: Third; P.O.: East Cambridge; Series: M653; Roll: 508; Page: 170; Enumeration date: 7 Jun 1860; Enumerator; Heritage-Quest Internet: A. (?) Green; Line: 9; Name: Ann Glasson; Age: 42; Sex: female; Color: white; Birthplace: England. (*This is probably Annie Ordway's mother) *1870 U.S. Census; State: Massachusetts; County: Middlesex; Town: Campbridge; Post Office: E. Cambridge; Enumeration date: 18 Jul 1870; Enumerator: Jacob L. Bailey; Page: 79-80; Microfilm Roll No.: 624, Series: M593; Ward: 3; Transcribed by Joyce Nelle Ratliff, 1 Mar 2004; Line: 40; Name: Ann Glasson; Age last birthday: 53; Sex: female; Color: white; Occupation: Keeping house; Place of birth: England; Father was foreign born: yes; Mother was foreign born: yes. *(Probably Annie Ordway's mother)
1910 U.S. Federal Census; State: Florida; County: Duval; City: Jacksonville; ED: 84; Ward: 7; Enumeration Date: 23 Apr 1910; Enumerator: George F. Barth. Name: Elizabeth Grier; Address: West Adams Street (Living with A. C. Phillips family and spouse John A. Grier); Relation to head of family: Roomer; Sex: female; Color: white; Age: 33; Marital status: married; Number of years married: 2; Place of birth: Pennsylvania; Place of birth of father: Germany; Place of birth of mother: Germany; Language spoken: English; Occupation: None.
1870 U.S Federal Census of Kentucky: Page 36; Glasgow district; Barren County; P. O.: Glasgow; Date of enumeration: 5 Jul 1870; Enumerator: James M. Simmons, asst. marshall. Name: Martha Morrow; Age: 27; Sex: Female; Color: white; Occupation: Keeping House; Place of birth: Kentucky. 1880 U.S. Federal Census; State: Kentucky; County: Metcalfe; Town: Sartain; Family History Library Film; 1254434; NA Film Number; T9-0434; Page number: 229C; Transcribed by Joyce Nelle Ratliff, 21 Mar 2004; Name: Martha T. T. Morrow; Relation to head of family: wife; Marital Status: Married; Gender: Female; Race: white; Age: 36; Birthplace: Kentucky; Occupation: Keeps house; Father's Birthplace: Kentucky; Mother's Birthplace: Kentucky.
1910 U. S. Federal Census; State: Illinois; County: Cook; City: Chicago; SD: 1; ED: 404; Sheet: 2; Ward: 7; Enumeration date: 16 Apr 1910; Enumerator: Jeanette Lippman; Address: 6019 Calumet Avenue; Transcribed by Joyce Nelle Ratliff, January 20, 2004. Name: Ethel J. Ordway; Relation to head of family: Wife; Sex: female; Color: white; Age last birthday: 27; Marital status: Married 1 time; Number of years of present marriage: 5; Mother of how many children: 1; Number of those children living: 0; Place of birth: Illinois; Place of birth of father: Scotland; Place of birth of mother: Scotland; Language spoken: English; Trade or profession: None; Can read and write: yes 1920 U.S. Federal Census; State: Illinois; County: Cook; Township: 6th ward; City: Chicago; Ward: 6; Microfilm T625 Roll: 310; SD: 1; ED: 371; Page: 154; Enumeration date: 7 Jan 1920; Enumerator: Myrtle Smith; Address: 6021 Calumet Avenue; Transcribed by Joyce Nelle Ratliff, Feb 2004; Name: Ethel Ordway; Relationship of this person to the head of the family: Wife; Sex: female; Color or race: white; Age at last birthday: 35; Marital status: married; Whether able to read and write: yes; Place of birth: Illinois; Place of birth of father: Scotland; Place of birth of mother: Scotland; Able to speak English: yes.
1900 U.S. Census; State: Illinois; County: Cook; Town or township: Hyde Park; Incorporated place: Chicago; Ward: 32nd; SD: 1st Illinois; ED: 1026; Sheet: 13; Page: 69; Series: T623; Microfilm Roll No.: 286; Enumeration date: 12 Jun 1900; Heritage Quest, Internet; Transcribed by Joyce Nelle Ratliff, 2 Feb 2004; Address: 47? Calumet Avenue; Line: 6; Name: Harriett Ordway; Relation to head of family: wife; Color: white; Sex: female; Month of birth: Nov; Year of birth: 1872; Age: 27; Marital status: married: No. of years married: 7; Mother of how many children: 0; Number of these children living: 0; Place of birth: Indiana; Place of birth of father: Vermont; Place of birth of mother: Pennsylvania; Can read and write: yes; Can speak English: yes.
1910 U. S. Census; State: Illinois; County: Cook; Series: T624, Film roll: 246; Township or other division of county: Tract (part of); Name of incorporated place: Chicago; SD: 1; ED: 354; Sheet: 14; Page: 14; Ward: 6; Enumeration date: 26 Apr 1910; Enumerator: Albert J. Hass?; Address: 4744 Indiana Avenue; Line: 16; Relation to head of family: wife; Sex: female; Color: white; Age last birthday: 40; Marital status: Married 2 times; No. years of present marriage: 2; Mother of how many children: 2; No. of those children living: 2; Place of birth: Illinois; Place of birth of father: England; Place of birth of mother: England; Speaks English or other: English; Trade or profession: None; Can read and write: yes. (Transcribed by Joyce Nelle Ratliff, 2 Feb 2004) 1920 U.S. Federal Census; State: Illinois; County: Cook; Township: Chicago; City: Chicago; Ward: 13; Enumeration date: 2 Jan 1920; Enumerator: Mrs. Blanche Sullivan; Microfilm T625, Roll: 322; SD: 22; ED: 765; Sheet: 1; Page: 209; Address: 3461 (?) Jackson Blvd.; Transcribed by Joyce Nelle Ratliff, Feb 2004; Line: 16; Name: Jinnie Ordway; Relationship of this person to the head of the family: Wife; Sex: female; Color: white; Age at last birthday: 52; Marital status: married; Whether able to read and write: yes; Place of birth: Illinois; Place of birth of father: New York; Placed of birth of mother: New York; Able to speak English: yes; Trade or profession: none.
1910 U. S. Census; State: Illinois; County: Cook; Township or other division of county: Tract g 17; Name of incorporated place: Chicago; SD: 1; ED: 404; Sheet No.: 2; Ward: 7; Enumeration date: 16 Apr 1910; Enumerator: Jeanette Lippman; Address: 6019 Calumet Avenue; Name: Rinda A. Ordway; Relation to head of family: wife; Sex: female; Color: white; Age last birthday: 67; Marital status: Married 2 times; No. of years of present marriage: 3; Mother of how many children: 0; Number of those children living: 0; Place of birth: New Hampshire; Place of birth of father: Vermont; Place of birth of mother: New York; Speaks English or other: English; Trade or profession: None; Can read and write: yes.
1910 U. S. Federal Census; State: Pennsylvania; County: Philadelphia; City: Philadelphia; Enumeration date: 21 Apr 1910; Enumerator: Jerome P. Ryan; SD: 1; Ed: 842; Ward: 34; Sheet: 8; Address: Sherwood Road. Name: Natlie Thomas; Relation to head of family: wife; Sex: female; Color: white; Age: 26; Married 1 time; Number of years married: 3; Mother of how many children: 2; Number of those children living: 2; Place of birth: Pennsylvania; Place of birth of father: Pennsylvania; Place of birth of mother: Pennsylvania; Language spoken: English; Occupation: none; Can read and write: yes.
FOLKS WE KNEW WHILE IN THE K.U. by Marie McCready: "The Acuffs came from Texas shortly before the birth of Arthur, who was born in the thatched cottage on the river bank. Mollie, who had apparently been something of a beauty in her younger days, abandoned the family, including Arthur, and left before long. Maude was one of those who died during the typhoid epidemic." (*See Lydia Gray) The KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Arthur Acuff FLAMING SWORD; Community Current Events by D. J. Richards; December 1930: "Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Acuff of Orlando, Florida, were guests of the Unity during the month." SOCIAL SECURITY DEATH INDEX; VOLUME 1; A-L: Arthur Acuff; Date of birth: 5 Jul 1901; SS#: 262-20-5259; Social Security applied for in Florida: Residence: Sacramento, California.
FOLKS WE KNEW WHILE IN THE K. U. by Marie McCready; "The Acuffs came from Texas shortly before the birth of Arthur, who was born in the thatched cottage on the river bank. Mollie, who had apparently been something of a beauty in her younger days, abandoned the family, including Arthur, and left before long. Maude was one of those who died during the typhoid epidemic." THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Clara Acuff. 1910 U. S. Federal Census; State: Florida; County: Gadsden; Precinct G, Chattahoochee; Name of Institution: Florida Hospital for the Insane. Name: Clara Acuff; Sex: Female; Color: white; Age: 18; Marital Status: single; Place of birth: None listed; Speaks English: yes; Can read and write: no.
THE EFFECT OF THE KORESHAN UNITY ON ONE FAMILY by Coleene Acuff: History of the Acuff family presented to the Historical Society; February 10, 1984, Hall of Fifty States. ....."William Sylvanus Acuff and his wife Mary Magdalene Talley Acuff had a homestead on the Texas plains near a place called Albin. They had two daughters and four sons then. Their closest neighbors were miles away. It was a lonely life, but they were together. In a paper from Chicago, William Acuff, my grandfather, read about a utopian community being established in Florida. He wrote for more literature. He was convinced it would be good for him and his family--a better way of life. I do not know how much he believed in the teachings of Koresh--Cyrus Teed. They sold their homestead and stock, outfitted a covered wagon, and left Texas with as many belongings as they could put in the wagon with the six children, ranging in age from about twelve or thirteen years old to about two or three years old. Their wagon was pulled by a team of oxen, and they had two milk cows attached to the rear of the wagon. My father told me these things. He was their oldest son. When they reached New Orleans, they sold the wagon, oxen, and cows and boarded a boat that sailed them as far as Tampa, Florida. The Koreshan Unity had sent a boat to Tampa to get them and other families who were joining the community. They reached Estero in the fall of 1898 or 1899*. They had had a long, rough trip. When they reached the Koreshan community, any money and possessions that they had was turned over to the community. The family was divided--the men to the men's house and the women to the women's house. The children were separated from their parents, and the boys were separated from the girls. The houses were rather primitive, and they needed more buildings. The houses had no screens or ceilings, and the insects were very bad. The roofs were thatched with palm and palmetto fronds. My Grandmother Acuff's last child was born about six or seven months after they reached Estero. We believe that was in the summer of 1899 or 1900. The baby was named Arthur Vincent. My grandfather worked helping build dormitories and numerous buildings needed to serve the community to make their community as self-contained as possible. My grandfather was a farmer and eventually was housed in a small frame house on Mound Key to farm vegetable gardens and plant fruit trees. There were other men assigned to Mound Key, too. Mound Key is about six miles down river from Estero. The children were Maude (twelve), my father Elbert (ten), Fannie (nine), Roy (eight), Rupert (six), Eustace (three), and Arthur, who was born there in the community. Everyone big enough to do anything had to work. Even the little ones had to help weed the gardens. Work was required. The women did the cooking, washing, and ironing for the whole community. It was done in the primitive way--before washing and drying machinery. They had sewing machines set up in the dining hall, and some of the women were assigned only to sewing. Others worked in the bakery or in the gardens raising food. Many people with good educations were there. Some taught in the school, and there was a press for publishing the papers and literature. The men were assigned to whatever duties needed to be done--clearing land, sawmill duties, farming, stock care, or whatever jobs there were. There was plenty of wild game for awhile--and whatever they could raise in abundance, but the weather was not always conducive to good crops. My father's oldest sister, Maude, died in the early 1900's from overwork and not enough food and care. His other sister, Fannie, had a nervous breakdown in her teens, and she was sent to Chattahoochee--where she died. My grandmother had taught her older children to read, write, and do arithmetic while they were still living in Texas. At the Koreshan Unity, there was some schooling given to the children of the community, but not good basic 3R's; an orchestra was also organized there. My father, in his early teens, ran away from the "unity" with some other older boys. They camped in the woods and were befriended by some of the Estero pioneer homesteaders. There were also some Indians that at some time or other helped these boys with food and shelter. My father told me that when they could not get enough game, they stole chickens and vegetables from the Koreshan Unity. They helped other boys get away, too. On one of these trips back into the "community," they took Roy--the brother five years younger than my dad. (See Elbert and Roy Acuff Notes) Two of his brothers spent several more years there, and Arthur spent all his young years there. When World War I came along, many of the boys joined the armed services. Roy joined the Navy, developed polio, married, and settled in Jacksonville. He used to visit us in Fort Myers, and we would look up the other uncles. By then they were living in little communities in Lee County. By the way, two of my uncles were in the group of kids standing around with the elders waiting for Koresh (Cyrus Teed) to rise from the dead. This was in December of 1908. On the fourth day, the Health Department of Lee County made the Koreshans bury their leader. My father used to tell us unsavory stories about that death and the three or four day wait. Many of the believers really thought Koresh would "rise" as Jesus had. When the youngest child, Arthur, was old enough to sit up--six to eight months--my grandmother wanted to gather her family and leave the Unity. She only managed to take Baby Arthur with her to Fort Myers. She worked as a cook in a small downtown restaurant. As long as Arthur was content to stay near her in his box in the kitchen, she would get by, but when he started walking, she had to take him back to the Koreshan Unity in Estero so that he could be cared for. She divorced my grandfather. It was an almost unheard of thing to do. She met and married a man by the name of Mayfield. Mayfield was a deputy sheriff. He was in an altercation with an influential Fort Myers man and killed him in self-defense. Law and order was of a more primitive kind, and Mayfield and my grandmother left Fort Myers and moved to Texas. She was not allowed to take any of her children, and she never had any more of her own. My father was in the army in World War I. While he was stationed near Montgomery, Alabama, he married Una Mary Owen. After he was discharged from service, they went to Texas to see his mother and his stepfather. He and my mother took trains then to Tampa and Fort Myers. When they came to Fort Myers, they lived with the Loftin's on Loftin Island. The little island in the river--the little island between the two bridges. Daddy worked on a dredge for Mr. Loftin. He also worked on steamers on the river--fished in the summers, and finally built his own boats to take tourists fishing in the winter. He was always reading and trying to make up for his lack of schooling. I was very proud of him! I have read that the Koreshans gave their children--and others outside the Unity--schooling. I know that my Dad played the trombone while he was in service. He had learned the basics at the Unity. My uncles who were educated from the earliest years in the Koreshan Community had very little basic training in the 3R's. The older Acuff children had been taught the 3R's by their mother while they were still in Texas. My youngest uncle seemed to get the best education there (at the Unity) of any of his brothers. The older the child was when he went there, the harder for him to enter a communal type of living. Those last three boys were too young for World War I and too old for World War II except for Arthur--the youngest. He had managed to get enough schooling that he could enter the Florida Sanitarium in Orlando and get his nurse's training. In World War II, he was a medical corpsman and was on two different aircraft carriers which were sunk. He survived and is now living in California with his wife, not far from his children and grandchildren. The only other surviving brother lives in North Fort Myers in a little cottage near Interstate 75. He is 85 to 87 and cannot hear enough to have a conversation with, and he is also very shy. He always felt that he had been at a disadvantage by having been raised at the Koreshan Unity. I remember visiting him at his fish camp when I was a teenager. He had bought a lot of books to try to educated himself. He had books on grammar, Spanish, algebra, and geometry. He never married, and he used to tell me how much he wished he could have been raised in a family instead of a whole community. Somehow these brothers managed to stay in touch with each other. In the 20's my grandfather was discovered to have tuberculosis. They had several small houses off from the rest of the community. He was put off in one of these cottages--not much more than shacks. Food was brought to him twice a day. He was not able to get around much and was not able to keep his cottage clean. My mother and father used to go down to see him on Sunday afternoons and take him food and clean night shirts. They would scrub and clean his little house. He did not get good care. Sometimes a doctor would look in on him. Once his house caught fire from a faulty flu. He had some burns and steadily got worse. I can remember crossing a ditch on a little wooden footbridge to get to him. He died in 1927 and was buried in a cemetery that washed away the next year in a big hurricane. It was the same hurricane that also washed away Teed's body. The Koreshans may have had some big ideas and ideals and were an important part of settling Lee County, but the family of William Acuff was split and impoverished. My father would talk about the Koreshan Unity with great pain. Sometimes he would not even answer our questions. It was a sad history to him. I can remember several very big buildings being down there while I was a child. I visited the grounds about a year ago and was quite surprised to see so few buildings there. I used to hear about the papers that were printed, but they were not allowed in our home. I looked for the small cottage where my grandfather died. It was gone, too. When I see some of the plantings, I wonder if they were planted by my grandfather or uncles. I liked to look at the river and imagine the boats that used to land there. I remember names my dad would mention--Leuttich, Morrow, and some of his boyhood friends. I wonder if in this room there are others who came to this area from a father or grandfather going to the Koreshan Unity. (*If Arthur Acuff was born in July 1901 (Social Security Death Index) then the Acuff family probably arrived in Estero in the fall of 1900.)--Joyce Nelle Ratliff, Feb 2000) Coleene Acuff Huddlestun Presented to the Historical Society, February 10, 1984, Hall of Fifty States
THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Elbert Acuff; Born: 1887, Died: 20 May 1956 FOLKS WE KNEW WHILE IN THE K.U. by Marie McCready: The Acuffs came from Texas shortly before the birth of Arthur, who was born in the thatched cottage on the river bank. Mollie, who had apparently been something of a beauty in her younger days, abandoned the family, including Arthur, and left before long. Maude was one of those who died during the typhoid epidemic. FORT MYERS PRESS; Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida; Thursday, March 19, 1908: TOOK THE BOY---This week K. B. Harvey, who runs a line of steamers between this city and Sanibel, had a peculiar experience according to his account which is as follows: "Last Saturday as I was coming up the river, a launch containing Dr. Teed and Messrs. Hunt and Gray, of the Koreshan Unity, came alongside my boat and said I had a boy on board that belonged to their colony and for whom they had a warrant for running away. They wanted the boy and I asked that they would wait until I got to the dock and unloaded my boat when we would see what was the matters. We went to the dock and I started to unload, when I had some business down at the express office to which place I went. When I returned to my boat the men had the boy and were gone. I saw them out in the river and called to the boy who said he was under arrest. They went off with him. The boy had run away but I was an innocent party in the matter, and think they should have shown some consideration. We do not know what Mr. Harvey intends to do in the matter, but give the story as told by him." (See Coleene Acuff Huddlestun Notes) FORT MYERS PRESS; Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida; Thursday, April 2, 1908: THE OTHER SIDE; The Eagle Gives Reply to K. B. Harvey Regarding Runaway Boys. "In the issue of March 19th, The Press contained an article from K. B. Harvey, relative to a boy that was taken away from him by Dr. Teed and others of the Koreshan Unity. Below we give a reply from the Eagle. We have nothing in common to do with the question, but publish in reply in a spirit of fair play. This is what the Eagle says:" In the first place, Mr. K. B. Harvey (without the consent of parents or guardians) was harboring and giving employment to a minor who had run away from home. He neglects to tell the public that he was also harboring and employing a younger brother of the above mentioned young man who had been enticed away from home. The boys are aged respectively nineteen and fourteen years. The older one says Mr. Harvey promised before long to place him in charge of the launch Pastime at a salary of one hundred dollars a month. Quite a pretty salary, indeed, to promise a boy of nineteen for running a launch! As for the smaller boy, of course Mr. Harvey will say that he did not employ him, but the facts are that he was found living and working on the Pastime, and it makes no difference whether an agreement existed between the two or not. The Press editor concludes the published complaint with the remark: "We do not know what Mr. Harvey intends to do in the matter." Inasmuch as the return of these boys to Estero was instigated by their father, Mr. Wm. Acuff, who is a member of the Koreshan Unity, it would be advisable for Mr. Harvey not to do anything further, as he might render himself liable for prosecution. Of course we do not claim to be greatly versed in legal lore, but we believe there is a legal tradition existing somewhat to the effect that parents are supposed to exercise a sort of guardianship over minor children until they become of age. For this reason it will be argued that the father of said boys has possibly a greater claim on them than has Mr. Harvey, and it would thus be well for that gentleman to drop the matter and forget it." (See Coleene Acuff Huddlestun Notes) WORK RECORD FOR ELBERT ACUFF: Born: Jacksborough, Texas; July 24, 1889; Wharton C.? Texas Grammar School--1894-1900; Koreshan Unity private school--2 years--7 & 8 grade--1903; Work at Unity 2 years; June 1905-June 1908, 3 years, Koreshan Unity; Occupation: Boat carpenter and sawmill; Reason for leaving job: left sect. (From 1908 until 1920 Elbert worked as a carpenter at various jobs in Texas, Florida, and Alabama. He was in the U. S. Army from February 6, 1918 until January 21, 1919, when he was discharged. He was a carpenter in 131st ? Squad.)
FOLKS WE KNEW WHILE IN THE K.U. "The Acuffs came from Texas shortly before the birth of Arthur, who was born in the thatched cottage on the river bank. Mollie, who had apparently been something of a beauty in her younger days, abandoned the family, including Arthur, and left before long. Maude was one of those who died during the typhoid epidemic." THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Eustise Acuff. SOCIAL SECURITY DEATH INDEX; Volume 1; A-L: Eustace Acuff; Born: 19 Apr 1899; SS#: 266-22-4221, SS# issued in Florida; Date of death: March 1985; Residence: Ft. Myers, Florida. History of Eustace Lloyd Acuff written by Coleene Acuff Huddlestun, his niece. (See Coleene Acuff Huddlestun Notes): Eustace Lloyd Acuff died in the North Fort Myers retirement home, March 3, 1985. He had lived there about nine months. My sisters and I had been given the responsibility of caring for him shortly after the story was written. We kept him after the cataract surgery till he could go back to his little house. When he would not eat properly or care for himself, we convinced him that a retirement home would be best. Always having lived alone, he had difficulty adjusting to living there. It took him several months to learn to trust people. He enjoyed the food and the loving care. We took him to visit his little house or for a ride each week. He was happy and we all enjoyed his droll sense of humor. When he died he had a lovely funeral attended by all the other residents of the retirement home, four people from his church, Uncle Rupert's children, my mother and aunt, my sisters and their husbands, and one of my sisters' daughters, and one of mine. He had been sent many beautiful flowers, and he would have been proud of the things said of him. He would have been proud to get so much attention. At our Thanksgiving reunion last year (1984), he had looked around and said, "This is my family? I didn't know I had so many!"
FOLKS WE KNEW WHILE IN THE K. U. by Marie McCready: Maude Acuff; "The Acuffs came from Texas shortly before the birth of Arthur, who was born in the thatched cottage on the river bank. Mollie, who had apparently been something of a beauty in her younger days, abandoned the family, including Arthur, and left before long. Maude was one of those who died during the typhoid epidemic." THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Mabel* Acuff. (Listed as Maude Acuff on McCready Membership List and THE EFFECT OF THE KORESHAN UNITY ON ONE FAMILY by Coleene Acuff Huddlestun.) MEMORIES, MEMORIES--DAYS OF LONG AGO chronicled by Marie McCready with participation by Lovelle McCready: "Maude Acuff was very sick in the room at the head of the stairs. Doctor Ruth, who had come home meantime, said Maude's symptoms were more those of yellow fever than typhoid."--Page 70
FOLKS WE KNEW WHILE IN THE K.U by Marie McCready: "The Acuffs came from Texas shortly before the birth of Arthur, who was born in the thatched cottage on the river bank. Mollie, who had apparently been something of a beauty in her younger days, abandoned the family, including Arthur, and left before long. Maude was one of those who died during the typhoid epidemic." THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Roy Acuff. SOCIAL SECURITY DEATH INDEX; VOLUME 1; A-L: Roy Acuff; Date of birth: 24 Jul 1894; Social Security applied for in Florida; SS#: 263-76-6212; Date of death: Feb 1977; Residence: Jacksonville, Florida. FORT MYERS PRESS; Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida; Thursday, March 19, 1908: TOOK THE BOY---This week K. B. Harvey, who runs a line of steamers between this city and Sanibel, had a peculiar experience according to his account which is as follows: "Last Saturday as I was coming up the river, a launch containing Dr. Teed and Messrs. Hunt and Gray, of the Koreshan Unity, came alongside my boat and said I had a boy on board that belonged to their colony and for whom they had a warrant for running away. They wanted the boy and I asked that they would wait until I got to the dock and unloaded my boat when we would see what was the matters. We went to the dock and I started to unload, when I had some business down at the express office to which place I went. When I returned to my boat the men had the boy and were gone. I saw them out in the river and called to the boy who said he was under arrest. They went off with him. The boy had run away but I was an innocent party in the matter, and think they should have shown some consideration. We do not know what Mr. Harvey intends to do in the matter, but give the story as told by him." (See Coleene Acuff Huddlestun Notes) FORT MYERS PRESS; Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida; Thursday, April 2, 1908: THE OTHER SIDE; The Eagle Gives Reply to K. B. Harvey Regarding Runaway Boys. "In the issue of March 19th, The Press contained an article from K. B. Harvey, relative to a boy that was taken away from him by Dr. Teed and others of the Koreshan Unity. Below we give a reply from the Eagle. We have nothing in common to do with the question, but publish in reply in a spirit of fair play. This is what the Eagle says:" In the first place, Mr. K. B. Harvey (without the consent of parents or guardians) was harboring and giving employment to a minor who had run away from home. He neglects to tell the public that he was also harboring and employing a younger brother of the above mentioned young man who had been enticed away from home. The boys are aged respectively nineteen and fourteen years. The older one says Mr. Harvey promised before long to place him in charge of the launch Pastime at a salary of one hundred dollars a month. Quite a pretty salary, indeed, to promise a boy of nineteen for running a launch! As for the smaller boy, of course Mr. Harvey will say that he did not employ him, but the facts are that he was found living and working on the Pastime, and it makes no difference whether an agreement existed between the two or not. The Press editor concludes the published complaint with the remark: "We do not know what Mr. Harvey intends to do in the matter." Inasmuch as the return of these boys to Estero was instigated by their father, Mr. Wm. Acuff, who is a member of the Koreshan Unity, it would be advisable for Mr. Harvey not to do anything further, as he might render himself liable for prosecution. Of course we do not claim to be greatly versed in legal lore, but we believe there is a legal tradition existing somewhat to the effect that parents are supposed to exercise a sort of guardianship over minor children until they become of age. For this reason it will be argued that the father of said boys has possibly a greater claim on them than has Mr. Harvey, and it would thus be well for that gentleman to drop the matter and forget it." (See Coleene Acuff Huddlestun Notes)
FOLKS WE KNEW WHILE IN THE K.U. by Marie McCready: "The Acuffs came from Texas shortly before the birth of Arthur, who was born in the thatched cottage on the river bank. Mollie, who had apparently been something of a beauty in her younger days, abandoned the family, including Arthur, and left before long. Maude was one of those who died during the typhoid epidemic." THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Rupert Acuff. SOCIAL SECURITY DEATH INDEX; VOLUME 1; A-L: Rupert Acuff; Date of birth: 13 Aug 1896; Social Security applied for in Florida; Date of death: Aug 1979; SS#: 262-26-3091; Residence: Ft. Myers, Florida.
THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Born: Feb 1854 in Tennessee; Died: 6 Aug 1928 FOLKS WE KNEW WHILE IN THE K. U. by McCreadys and Vesta Newcomb; "The Acuffs came from Texas shortly before the birth of Arthur, who was born in the thatched cottage on the river bank. Mollie, who had apparently been something of a beauty in her younger days, abandoned the family, including Arthur, and left before long. Maude was one of those who died during the typhoid epidemic." U.S. Federal Census/Estero/Lee County/Florida--1910; Koreshan Unity; Enumeration Date: 25 Apr 1910; Enumerator: Walter S. Turner, Jr.; Microfilm No.: Fl 1910-H T624; ED: 80; Transcribed by Joyce Nelle Ratliff, January 1995: William S. Acuff; Sex: male; Race: white; Age 60; Marital status: Divorced; Born: Tennessee; Place of birth of father and mother North Carolina; Language spoken: English; Occupation: farmer; Employer or worker: worker; No. of months not employed: 0; Can read and write: yes Burial: Horseshoe Bend on the River--Koreshan Unity Cemetery--lot 21; Inscription: William Acuff; Aug 5, 1928; BROTHERS' LAUNDRY LIST: William Acuff #130 THE EFFECT OF THE KORESHAN UNITY ON ONE FAMILY by Coleene Acuff Huddlestun, daughter of Elbert Acuff, presented to the Historical Society, February 10, 1984, Hall of Fifty States. (See Coleene Acuff Huddlestun's notes) COMMUNITY CURRENT EVENTS--SEPTEMBER 1928 - "We reluctantly record in this issue the passing of Broterh William Acuff, on August 5, at the age of 74.