Footnote #1:

    "Early days on the Cedar Creek" ..from a faded copy faithfully entered into computer August, 1998 by Rod Stover, grandson of Mary May Clayton Stover, and nephew of Allen Stover.

    Some obvious typos were corrected, some single quotes inserted in possessives and contractions, periods and double quotes sometimes exchanged to improve readability.  Other differences may have been introduced simply by typing thoughts and sentences, rather than individual characters.  Care was taken to preserve the original thought and intent (and some original mis-spellings).

    Although paper fades, it may be more permanent than electronic media, which can become obsolete, and require conversion from time to time.  Will there be common media that will survive generations of advancing technology??
    The introduction by Allen Stover suggests pictures, but I had to substitute.  Btw, Allen was a barbed-wire collector.

Footnote #2:

    I have Ellen Wamsley's birth in late 1830, Manchester, England.
    But, Gram was right again.  Recent (1999) research by David Ludwig, grandson of Ernest Clayton, Gram May's brother:

"Bishop's Records of Baptisms, Burials and Marriages for Leek, Stafford Co., England."  (LDS film no. 0435786)  According to those records, Ellen Wamsley was baptised on April 8, 1829, by vicar Heathcote.  Parents were Charles and Sarah: lived on Stockwell Street, occupation weaver.

   I stand corrected.  Ellen's year of birth was probably 1828 or 1829.

   Ellen and Reuel Ewer were married 31 August 1851, Cassville, Grant County, Wisconsin.

Angelina Adelia, born 3 April, 1855, Cassville
Clara Vista, born 23 March 1857, Cassville
Rosalie, born 9 March 1859, Cassville
Abraham Lincoln, born 17 November, 1861, Cassville
Nicholas was born in 1848, 2-3 years prior to Ellen's marriage to Rewel.
"Mary E." born about 1853 on 1860 census; no further mention or knowledge.
(Mary E.'s birth fits in with the 1853, '55, '57, '59, '61 sequence, yes?)

    Reuel Ewer died of "swamp fever" 19 August, 1863 in a Helena, Arkansas Regimental Hospital, age 32 or 33.  From Dave Ludwig research:

From "Roll of Honor No. 3, Names Of Soldiers who died in Defense Of The American Union interred in Arkansas...... Washington: Government Printing Office 1866." (from information compiled by the Quartermaster General's Office.) He's listed as no. 221, which appears to be an alphabetical numbering of the dead.  As of 1866, Reuel was buried at Helena, Arkansas, Memphis National Cemetery, Section C, grave #3223.

Footnote #3:

    Ellen Homesteaded the NW quarter of section #26, Cedar Township, in the names of her four children by Rewel, no mention of Nicholas.  Sam Higgins homesteaded the SE quarter of section #22, a "Timber Culture" homestead, that allowed 80 acres of land provided the other 80 acres were planted to trees.  The Higgin's house is on the SE quarter of section #22, the "Timber Culture," catty-corner' from Ellen's children's quarter section to the South-East.
  Ellen married Sam Higgins 26 November, 1865.   

Footnote #4:

   Ellen died 20 March, 1897.   In separate correspondence, Both Gram May and Ernest Clayton remembered the funeral procession in a blizzard. 

   Little data on Samuel, Jr. (Sampson Grant Higgins), except that he was a blacksmith in the Cedar community.

Footnote #5: Hmmm....

Footnote #6:

   Joseph Clayton originally homesteaded the NW quarter of section #10, three miles North and 1/2 mile West of the Higgins/Ewer intersection.  Ernest said that he traded his quarter section for a $400 team of mules; May Clayton Stover said  "she heard him (Joseph) say that he was foolish to get rid of level land.... he must have sold it to buy the two 40 Acre tracts from my Aunts and build a small house on Mother's 40 Acres."  In any event, Joseph Clayton and Rosa Ewer were married May 8, 1879, and made their home on 120 Acres of the NW quarter of section # 26.
   Abraham Lincoln Ewer retained the NE 40 Acres of  the NW 1/4 of #26.  Ernest Clayton said that his father "donated the land for a school house and the school was named Rose Hill School after my mother."  I have the school located at the SW corner of the Clayton farm; the Clayton house in the NW 40 Acres of the Clayton farm.

Footnote #7:

   Joseph's father was Henry , who first married Margaret Young.  Four children: Henry,  Martha, Mary & Joseph.  Joseph also lived with a Thomas Alexander for 8 years.   Also, there's confusion with Joseph's year of birth, be it 1844 or 1845.  Perhaps he lied  about his age when joining the Army, then had to continue the lie? 

Footnote #8:

   Also younger sister Martha Stover, who married Tom Hutchinson.

Footnote #9:

   Some confusion; Gram was quoting my research (RRS). It was Paris, Kenosha County, Wisconsin.  Not Paris, N.Y.  Elizabeth was born in Paris, Wisconsin, as well as her  younger brother, Joseph.