Along the Way: Two Paths from One Ancestry

By Robert Louis Taylor

This book was written to provide a genealogical account of my family history. There was a driving need to tell this story for the benefit of all of my family, but mostly for my children, Megan, Nicole, Natalie & Robbie, my two step-sons, Marc and Paul and all of those who will come after them.

Many hours, weeks, months and years searching the genealogical archives of the Mormon Temple, countless interviews, many trips to grave sites, monuments, and travels to far away places, went into this writing. To give an account of a family's genealogy can be a most complex and daunting task. The research alone can be overwhelming. I have tried to provide the reader with as much detail and accuracy as possible. My intent was to structure this book in a manner that will serve as a reference for those family members, and others as well, who might have the need and interest in knowing the ancestry of those denoted in this writing. The major portion of this book is based on written documentation. However, some of its content is based on verbal accounts and may be subject to some error. For this I sincerely apologize and welcome any and all corrections.

Many thanks and great appreciation to my mother, (Rev. Dr. Allie Mae Bellar-Allen), my stepfather, (Lloyd Christopher Allen), my uncle, (Clarence Knox Taylor), my brother in law, Dale Bonzo Etrata and all the other, for sharing their wealth of knowledge concerning the family histories represented in this book. Thanks for taking the time to share it with me. Above all, I must thank my wife, (Rita Teresa) for her support and understanding; the years and years of listening to me pour over data and digging up the past. She has heard me go over data from my research, recalling events names and places so much that she knows them better than I do.
My deepest gratitude to you all, and to you all I dedicate this book.
Many thanks to Dr. Allen for the many stories and accounts of her pass that inspired me to write this book. Without her I would never have begin the research that led to this writing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 29, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499033366

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Copyright © 2014 by Robert Louis Taylor.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2014910642

ISBN:      Hardcover      978-1-4990-3338-0

                Softcover         978-1-4990-3339-7

                eBook              978-1-4990-3336-6

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Rev. date: 07/26/2014

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1   The Bellers, Their Origin

CHAPTER 2   Bellers In America

CHAPTER 3   The Stuarts, Fulkersons And Vignes

CHAPTER 4   Garretts, Muldrows Staggers

CHAPTER 5   The Move To Ashdown

CHAPTER 6   Ashtons, Owens, Taylors & Sandefurs

CHAPTER 7   The Allens, Tarvers And Taylors

CHAPTER 8   Etratas And Kamalawiwooles

BIOGRAPHIES

INDEX

PREFACE

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T his book was written to provide a genealogical account of my family history. There was a driving need to tell this story for the benefit of all of my family, but mostly for my children, Megan, Nicole, Natalie & Robbie, my two step-sons, Marc and Paul and all of those who will come after them.

Many hours, weeks, months and years searching the genealogical archives of the Mormon Temple, countless interviews, many trips to grave sites, monuments, and travels to far away places, went into this writing. To give an account of a family’s genealogy can be a most complex and daunting task. The research alone can be overwhelming. I have tried to provide the reader with as much detail and accuracy as possible. My intent was to structure this book in a manner that will serve as a reference for those family members, and others as well, who might have the need and interest in knowing the ancestry of those denoted in this writing. The major portion of this book is based on written documentation. However, some of its content is based on verbal accounts and may be subject to some error. For this I sincerely apologize and welcome any and all corrections.

Many thanks and great appreciation to my mother, (Rev. Dr. Allie Mae Bellar-Allen), my stepfather, (Lloyd Christopher Allen), my uncle, (Clarence Knox Taylor), my brother in law, Dale Bonzo Etrata, and all the others for sharing their wealth of knowledge concerning the family histories represented in this book. Thanks for taking the time to share it with me. Above all, I must thank my wife, (Rita Teresa) for her support and understanding; the years and years of listening to me pour over data and digging up the past. She has heard me go over data from my research, recalling events names and places so much that she knows them better than I do.

Many thanks to my mother, Dr. Allen, for the many stories and accounts of her past that inspired me to write this book. Without her I would never have begin the research that led to this writing.

My deepest gratitude to you all, and to you all I dedicate this book.

Robert Louis Taylor

INTRODUCTION

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A Family’s history of its ancestors and descendents has many adventures and encounters. This writing is intended to provide a look into the family history of my mother, Rev. Dr. Allie Mae Bellar-Allen. Her ancestral bloodline crosses many racial bridges and ethnic boundaries. Her ancestral paths stem from the most common to the most affluent of men and women; from Slaves to Presidents. These men and women lives are intertwined with the history of the founding and development of this Nation; from the settling of The First Colonies to The Western Expansion, and beyond.

Along The Way is an account of how ancestral paths merged at various times and places in history. Some paths lead from the most affluent men of European Caucasian descent. The other paths lead from the most common men of African descent and slavery.

This writing is a genealogical history of Dr. Allie Mae Bellar-Allen, better known as Allie; this is her story. It will deal with her ancestors and descendents and touch upon some family histories from her marriages and from her children’s marriages. Some of those families are: Allen, Beller, Carr, Etrata, Fulkerson, Garrett, Henry, Hill, Johnson, Kamakawiwoole, Muldrow, Sandefur, Staggers, Stuart, Taylor, and Vigne. While most of the family members will be covered in the various genealogy reports and outlines; it is a certainty that every family member will not have a storyline.

Since, at this writing, Allie Mae is the oldest, black, surviving family member of the merging paths, it’s befitting that she is the main focus. It was actually with her father, a mulatto man, where the paths merged. It was with the birth of this mulatto man, Samuel Bellar, where the genealogical paths of our Black and White ancestors became one.

Samuel Bellar’s father, Norman Beller, was a white man whose ancestors have been researched back to European countries such as: France, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, and Norway. After coming to the United States Norman’s ancestors were disseminated throughout New Amsterdam (what is now New York), Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas. Some of Norman’s relatives were, presidents, inventors, actors and explores. They are woven into the very fabric of this country; stemming back before the original 13 colonies; then moving into the expansion of this country’s Western Frontier. Some of Norman’s ancestors of notoriety are: Theodore Roosevelt, (26 president of the United States), Franklin Delano Roosevelt, (32nd president of the United States) and his wife, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, and Alva Edison, (inventor and businessman), to name only some.

Samuel Bellar’s mother, Joanna Hannah Scott, was a mulatto woman of African and Caucasian descent; an ex- slave from Georgia. With the union of Norman and Joanna Hannah, Sam was born, beginning the merge of two paths; one Black and one White.

Samuel Bellar married Olee Staggers and from that union was born Allie Mae. With her birth two more paths merged. Her mother, Olee, was born the daughter of an ex-slave named George Washington Staggers. George was born the son of August and Millie Staggers who were born two generations into slavery in Williamsburg, South Carolina. From August and Millie Staggers we began the African-American ancestral path. From Norman’s ancestors, Jacob Beller, Guillaume (William) De La Vigne and Adrienne Cuvielle, began the European Caucasian ancestral path.

The connection between Sam Beller’s father’s side of his ancestry and his wife, Olee Staggers’es ancestry, was common knowledge among the African-American side of the family. It was not until about 1985 that anyone on Norman Beller’s side of the family had any idea that there were black descendents within the Beller family.

As the family history was told to me by my mother, Allie Mae, I began to take such interest in the stories she told about her family lineage; her stories holding such interest and fascination; I became driven to research and substantiate what she had told me. My first source of information was from the Mormon Temple in Los Angeles, California. I took the basic information that my mother had provided me with, and approach the Genealogical Society at the Temple. I remember talking with one of the genealogists and asking him if he could help me obtain information about Norman Bellar. My mother had told me that her father, Sam’s father, was a German man named Norman Bellar. Her family had believed, for many years, that Sam was the only son of Norman. So it was this information that I gave to the genealogist. Things begin to look a little bleak because the spelling of Beller that I gave was spelled Bellar, and this produced no findings for the person I was looking for. This was the beginning to the many of my genealogical quests and frustrations.

The genealogist at the Mormon Temple continued to be patient with me, asking me questions such as; where was Norman Beller born?; how old would Sam be if he were still alive?; where was he born?, Etc. Providing him with what information I believe to be true, he was off to seek other avenues of research. He returned to me in a short period of time stating that his finding, luckily for me, was that there was only one Norman Beller of any spelling, other than his son, Norman Jr. in the state of Arkansas. He then stated that Norman Junior would have been too young to have been the father of Sam. That left only one possibility, Norman Senior was it. After finding Norman Beller in the Arkansas Pulaski County census of 1900, and seeing that he was married and had several children living in his household, I still had doubts as to whether we had the right person. I was still holding to what my mother had said, that her father, Sam, was the only child of Norman Beller. With this and the fact that the name was spelled differently, I was still dubious. It was with the genealogist’s explanation, that names through the years were often mispronounced and misspelled, and further, it was some 10 years between Sam’s birth and the birth of Norman’s next child, that I was somewhat convinced that we may have the correct person. It was true that for a number of years Sam was the only child of Norman Beller. With Norman living so far away from the area, there would have been little or no way for Sam’s family to know what the status of Norman’s family life was.

While continuing my genealogical endeavor, I ran across some information giving me a deeper look into Norman’s ancestral background. Someone before me had done quite a bit of research on Norman’s family, and had posted it with the Mormon Temple. After inquiring as to who had provided the information, I was informed that it was Jack Beller of Costa Mesa California. Provided with his contact information, I was now confronted with a dilemma; do I make contact with him or ignore the whole thing? After much contemplation I finally concluded that I should pursue the issue.

From my past history as a boy growing up in the South in Arkansas in the early 1940s; I had experienced many problems with inter-racial encounters. Even in my early days in Santa Monica, California, I experienced some racial adversity. The recollection of this caused me to have increased anxiety about the whole matter. After a number of weeks, perhaps even a month, I came up with a plan. I asked my daughter, Natalie, if she would be willing to contact Jack Beller and state that it was she that was doing this research for a college project. With her diction, enunciation and pronunciation of English language, I was sure it would not be detected that she was not of the Caucasian race.

Racial tension and adversities among black and whites still had not ceased at the time of my beginning genealogical research, in the mid-1970s. The thought of approaching someone of the white race and alluding to the fact that there may be some kinship and ancestral background was almost unthinkable, scary at the least. How could this be presented in a way that might be acceptable? The intention was not to seek kinship but to acquire knowledge into the background and history of the family. Would this man understand? I had my doubts. Nonetheless, I encouraged Natalie to continue with this endeavor.

Upon reaching Jack Beller and presenting our case, surprisingly, everything went quite well. This gave me a bit of confidence so that some time later I was able to call Jack myself. After explaining my position and requesting that perhaps we could share some information, it was to my surprise, he embraced the proposal. Not only did Jack embrace the idea of exchanging info, he also suggested that we meet; and extended an invitation to join him at his home in Costa Mesa, California. At this point I felt compelled to inform Jack that I was a black man. His response to that was, again surprising, he exclaimed oh how interesting! I would love to hear more on how that came about. So within a short period of time, my wife Rita, our son Robbie and I were off to Costa Mesa to meet with Jack.

I shall never forget the day when we arrived at Jack’s house sometime in 1985. He gave us the warmest of welcomes and invited us in to share in some desert that he had made himself; some type of pie if my memory serves me correctly. Jack was a true genealogist, he was not concerned with the racial difference; he only wanted to know his family’s history. I share those same desires. I only want to know my family history no matter where it takes me.

For years at Christmas time Jack would send a Christmas card, and the card would be signed, from Cousin Jack.

I lost track of Jack over the years, but often I think of him, especially around Christmas time. Somewhere in the future, Along the Way, maybe we will meet again.

This encounter with Jack Beller is the first time, to my knowledge, that the Bellers, of white ancestry and descendents, had any knowledge of their black ancestors and descendents. At my last visit to the Mormon Temple I found that Jack Beller had submitted to the Temple all of the black descendents history that I had given him. What a courageous effort on Jack’s part!

There are a number of Beller family reunions taking place around the country, especially in Oklahoma. What an event it would be to have a reunion with both black-and-white Beller families sharing life experiences and getting to know each other.

As genealogists go, I believe there is at least one person in each family, in each generation, that has the insatiable appetite and the conviction to take the time, and make the effort to

seek to know their ancestral history. I for one did not choose this endeavor, it chose me. I am indeed driven with little choice but to follow the call. As my mother would say, this stuff takes the patients of Job.

CHAPTER I

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The Bellers, Their Origin

A s long as I can remember my mother has always contended that her ancestors, on her father’s side of the family, were German. She has never been sure as to how this was concluded. However, later research determined this to be near the truth; they were actually Swiss. Beginning with Jacob Beller, they originated in Switzerland, migrated to Germany, then England and then on to America.

Jacob Beller, my sixth great-grandfather, was born in Zurich, Switzerland in about 1681. Jacob’s wife was a woman named Bellor. She was also born in Zürich sometime in 1691. Jacob and Bellor were married about 1701 in Zürich and later had one child, Peter Beller Sr. It was during a time of great religious strife stemming from ‘The Radical Reformation’.

The ‘Radical Reformation’ had its beginning in Germany and Switzerland in the 15th century, led by Martin Luther, and then spreading throughout Europe. Around the time of Jacob’s birth the Anabaptist (Swiss Brethren) was undergoing many changes. They had begun to break away from the Mennonite teachings of Menno Simons, and in 1693 begin to follow the Amish teachings of Jacob Ammann. Jacob Beller was almost certain to have been a part of this movement and its struggles.

The history of the Amish church began in 1693 with a schism, (a formal breach of union within a Christian church), in Switzerland within a group of Swiss and Alsatian Anabaptists led by Jacob Ammann. Those who followed Ammann became known as Amish. These followers were originally from three main places: the German-speaking parts of Switzerland, the Alsace of France, and the Palatinate of Germany. In the early 18th century, many Amish and Mennonites migrated to Pennsylvania for a variety of reasons. Today, the most traditional descendents of the Amish continue to speak Pennsylvania German, also known as Pennsylvania Dutch.

Jacob Ammann and the Amish movement left Switzerland and relocated in the Alsace area of France. Jacob Beller left Zürich around this same time and relocated in the Palatinate area of Germany. This is evidenced by his son Peter’s birth in Pfalz, Germany in 1708.

Jacob Beller along with his wife and son Peter left the Palatine area between April and June of 1709. Their destination was Rotterdam and then the United States of America by way of England. Jacob and his family first landed in New York about 1710, and then moved on to Philadelphia, more than likely, somewhere in the Lancaster area of Pennsylvania.

An account of the trials and tribulations of that time and era is given below:

The 1708–1709 winter in the Rhineland, was unusually long and cold. People seriously contemplated leaving the area forever. They were still ever mindful of The 30 Years War that left a third of the German people in the area lifeless. They were being heavily taxed and suffered persecution because of their religious preference. Some of the people remembered back to 1677, when William Penn had tried to entice them to go to Pennsylvania. After King Louis XIV of France had invaded their land; a mass exodus from the area took place. By the hundreds Palatines, in small boats, venture down the Rhine for Rotterdam. In April 1709 many were on the 4 to 6 week voyage. By October, 1709, over 10,000 Palatines had successfully completed the journey.

Queen Anne, of England, offered to transport the immigrants to England. From England they would make their way to America. Immigrants not only came from Germany, but other places such as Bohemia and Switzerland their religious beliefs were mostly, Lutheran, reformed and Mennonite.

Many of the individuals and families listed here left England and went on to America, arriving in 1710

These Are Only Husbandman

Herdsman

Wheelwright

Eyeach, John Valentine

Smiths

Millers

Bakers

Tailors

Carpenters

The arrival of Jacob in Philadelphia begins the history of the Beller’s in America. It is believed that Jacob arrived in America on one of the following ships.

Palatine Ships to New York in 1710

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Example of typical ship used to transport passengers

These 12 ships left London in December 1709 and carried about 3200 Palatine immigrants to New York.

date of arrival - name of ship

13 June - Lion of Leath

14 June - Lowestoffe

7 July - Herbert (frigate) [wrecked off Block Island on 7 July]

prior to July 10 -

• Fame

• Mary

• Hartwell

• Baltimore

• James and Elizabeth

• Sarah

• Tower (frigate)

after 12 July - Midford

12 August - Berkley Castle

Descendants of Jacob Beller

Generation No. 1

1. JACOB¹ BELLER was born 1681 in Zurich, Switzerland, and died 1736 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He married Bellor; it is not know if this was her first name or last name, 1701 in Zurich, Switzerland. She was born 1691 in Zurich, Switzerland.

Child of JACOB BELLER and BELLOR is,

Generation No. 2

2. PETER² BELLER, SR. (JACOB¹) was born Abt. January 1707/08 in Pfalz, Germany, and died 1790 in Germanton, Stokes Co. North Carolina. He married CATHERINE 1728 in Zurich, Switzerland. She was born Abt. 1710 in Zurich, Switzerland, and died 1790 in North Carolina.

Children of PETER BELLER and CATHERINE are: