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- I just ran across your correspondence with Mike Stafford and appreciate having this information. Revel was my g.g.grandfather.My grandfather was John Stafford (changed name to Ja Hu) a brother of Rufus Reid Stafford. Ja Hu left home in Mo. at an early age, right after moving to Missouri with his family. He enlisted in the army at Fort Towson (just east of Hugo OK) in the Choctaw Nation (now Choctow Co. OK), on March 1 1852. The military records indicate that he was 21 years old, blue eyed, chestnut hair, light complexion, and 5' 10" tall. He probably lied about his age in order to enlist. We would have him 18 at that time.
He kept in contact with Rufus through the years. My brother Ed talked to someone of Rufus's descendants and got copies of many of the letters that were written by Ja Hu to Rufus.
His first marriage ended in divorce with only one child (Alice M Stafford b. 1860). He married Pauline Amelia Madsen in 1880. Their children were as follows: Revelee Stafford b 1884 died soon after birth, Pansey b Jan 1886, Anna Mae b. Dec. 1886, Ruby E. b. 1888, Thomas A. b. 1890, Clara Clementine b. 1892 (my mother), un-named b. 1894 died soon after birth, his mother died in child birth.
My Mother kept in touch with John Milton's family. I can remember Edith Gertrude Stafford (married Marshall Taylor) visiting us in Texas. Our indicate that Rufus had the following children; John Milton, George Nathanial, Mary Clementine, Henry Malichi, Wesley and Wilson.
If you are interested in any of this info., are more details of the info I have of the family please let me know. I tried e-mailing to the address listed on the message board but it couldn't be sent to you.
The log cabin where my mother was born is in the Chiricahua National Monument and park researchers did a lot of research on Ja Hu. My Mother and Ja Hu are shown on a plaque in front of the cabin. The researcher copied the following from the Davidson Co, N.C. Heritage Book under SKEEN--SKEAN--SKENE 1041. Mathew Skene, another son of John, the immigrant, m. Jannerji Tites (jane Titus) of Dutch decent and had a son Peter (Pieter) who was bapt., 26 March 1732 at the Dutch Reform Church on Staten Island. Mathew was a Lieut. in the Augusta Co. VA., 1742. He died Feb. 1748 in Augusta Co. VA. His wife Jane was given bond as administratrix of Mathew Skaine (Skene) estate. He left four known sons and possible others. The sons were Pieter, and three minor sons John, Jacob, and Mathew. Mathew moved to Rowan Co., Jacob moved to Randolph Co., john remained in Shenandoah Co. Va.
Notes from John Skene-737
John Skene, the first known member of the Masonic Lodge in America. Arrived in this country from Aberdeen Scotland, accompied by his wife, Helen Fullerton and young family.
My information had Revel Stafford's wife, Jane (b. 1760) being the daughter of Jacob Skeen and Lydia Stroud. Jacob's father was John Skeen and mother Helen Fullerton.
You mentioned to Mike Stafford that you had Jpeg's of birth, marriage, and death certificates along with photos of graves. I certainly would appreciate your e-mailing any of this info tp me.
T. J. Wheeler
Another account.
The Historic American Buildings Survey provides a brief but interesting biography of Ja Hu Stafford based mainly on interviews of his granddaughter, Helen Kenney, in 1983.
"Ja Hu Stafford (1834-1913) was born and raised in Davidson County, North Carolina. For reasons unknown, when the Civil War broke out Stafford enlisted in the Union army. After his discharge, he moved to Illinois, where he married for the first time and worked as a salesman for the Singer Sewing Machine Company. After bearing two daughters, Stafford's first wife died. The widowed father left his daughters in Illinois and migrated to Wyoming or Montana. There he became a rancher, achieving some success. Reportedly dissatisfied with the cold, Stafford decided to move south to the Arizona Territory. Enroute he contracted pneumonia and spent a winter in Salt Lake City under the care of the Madsens, a Mormon family. Pauline Amelia Madsen (ca. 1867-1893), one of the daughters of the household, accompanied Stafford to Arizona, marrying him on the way. The couple established their home in Bonita Canyon, in the Chiricahua mountains of southeastern Arizona. They were among the first settlers in the region. Seven children were born to the Staffords; four lived to adulthood. The first child, a boy named Raveley, died in infancy and is buried west of the cabin in the midst of the former orchard. Pauline Stafford died at age 26 in 1893, and Ja Hu raised their children alone."
Census:
- Listed as a sewing machine salesman with wife Ditha and daughter Alice. Living next to Isaac Cade and Mary Margaret Stafford Cade. Margaret is the daughter of Matthew Stafford (Branch 139).
- Listed as John (looks like Jahu) Stafford, a gardener, with children Anna M., Ruby, Thomas and Clara.
- Listed as John Stafford, a farmer, with children Ruby E., Thomas A. and Clara C.
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1836 - 1913 (~ 76 years)
