Martha Jane Harrell Rabb

Third Generation


8. Martha Eleanor RABB 1, 2 (John Thomas RABB , Martha Jane (or Eleanor) ) was born 3 on 5 Mar 1877 in Helena, Karnes County, Texas. She died 4 on 5 Sep 1958 in Commerce, Los Angeles County, California. She was buried 5 in Westminster Memorial Cemetery, Westminster, Orange County, California.

Martha married Eugene Angel BRUNIER 1, 2 son of Eugene J. BRUNIER and Josefa CARBAJAL on 30 Apr 1894 in Central, Grant County, New Mexico. Eugene was born 3 on 12 Apr 1871 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California. He died 4 on 27 Jun 1955 in Seal Beach, Orange County, California. He was buried 5 in Westminster Memorial Cemetery, Westminster, Orange County, California.

They had the following children:

  17 F i Amy Josephine BRUNIER 1, 2 was born on 14 Aug 1896 in Congress, Yavapai County, Arizona. She died 3 on 30 Dec 1960 in Commerce, Los Angeles County, California. She was buried 4 on 3 Jan 1961 in Westminster Memorial Cemetery, Westminster, Orange County, California.
        Amy married (1) John Garfield HARRIS 1, 2 on 10 May 1914 in Globe, Gila County, Arizona. The marriage ended in divorce.John was born 3 on 23 Nov 1893 in Hurley, Iron County, Wisconsin. He died 4 on 25 Oct 1958 in Torrance, Los Angeles County, California. He was buried 5 in Roosevelt Memorial Park, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California.

RESIDENCE: John Garfield HARRIS lived in Gardena, Los Angeles, California, for most of his adult life.
=====From the research of Sharon J. Rich
=================================================================================


BIOGRAPHY: John Garfield HARRIS' parents emigrated from Cornwall, England to Hurley, Iron, Wisconsin sometime between 1884-1888, where John was born in 1893. He went with his parents when they returned to live in Cornwall, England, by 1903.

Surviving the Titanic: In the spring of 1912, John Garfield HARRIS was due to travel from England to the USA. He wired his sister in Los Angeles, California, asking her to wire him money right away so he could book passage the next day on the maiden voyage of a new ship, the "Titanic". His sister was suffering from a migrane headache at the time and was unable to wire the money until a day or two later, and thus his life was spared from not having money to pay his fare on the Titanic. -----Sources: Oral family history and Violet Heidle, cousin.
=====From the research of Sherrie Apperson
=================================================================================
        Amy married (2) Jack WHITE 1 about 1928 in Los Angeles County, California. The marriage ended in divorce.
        Amy married (3) Frank AMERINE 1 about 1944 in Los Angeles County, California.
  18 F ii Ruby Margaret BRUNIER 1, 2, 3 was born on 9 May 1898 in Fort Bayard, Grant County, New Mexico. She died on 2 Apr 1984 in Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California. She was buried 4 in Westminster Memorial Cemetery, Westminster, Orange County, California.

BIOGRAPHY:
November 20, 1976

SOME OF MY MEMORIES
1888 - 1984
Written at the request of my Great Niece, Sharon Rich.

I will first start with my mother's side of the family. Thomas Rabb was my great-grandfather. He was a Captain in the Confederacy of the Civil War. As I remember he was in the Medical Corps. He took great pride in talking about the Civil War. He took greater pride in saying he never mistreated a slave. They all loved him. After the war was over the family moved to New Mexico. Some of his slaves begged to go with the family. Of course this was impossible. They had a cattle ranch and lived on the Members River where they had a beautiful apple orchard. My great-grandfather's first wife died when she was quite young. His second wife was known to the entire family as Aunt Nannie. She was dear to all the family.
During the war a young soldier had a bullet in his neck near the jugular vein. The head surgeon refused to operate and remove it. The soldier begged Captain Rabb to remove it. He did and the young soldier lived. Great-Grandpa could not turn away from the young soldier's pleas.
An amusing thing happened. Aunt Nannie liked to iron her white collar and cuffs. She heated the iron on the stove. One of the small black girls carried in with chips for the fire. After two or three trips she was ready to give up. They all petted her and she was spoiled. She put down the chips and said, "If that ain't enough, I won't get no mo!" Aunt Nannie said "What did you say?" (She had been taught by her mother never to talk back.) She looked up at Aunt Nannie and said, "If that ain't enough, I'll go get some mo!" Aunt Nannie could hardly keep the laughter back.
In about 1910 my Aunt Iva (Mother's sister) visited the small town in Texas where Great-Grandpa had lived. When she stepped off the train an old black man knelt down and kissed the hem of her long dress. Aunt Iva was so amazed. He looked up at her and said "Just to touch something that belonged to Massa Tom before I die." He had been a young slave by the name of Jake. Great-Grandpa Rabb used to talk so much about Jake and another young boy slave.
Thomas Rabb had two children to my knowledge. John (my grandfather) and Betty. John married Amy Upton. Betty married Jim Upton. Their children were double cousins. Jim and Betty's girls were Katherine and Mabel. John and Amy Rabb, my grandparents, had eight children:
Alma - Died when she was six years old.
Martha Eleanor (my mother) - Married Eugene A. Brunier (5 children).
Monroe Rabb - Our dear Uncle Roe - no children.
Norman - Died when he was 2 years old.
Bessie - Married Robert Utley (3 children - Eleanor, Robert and Martha).
Tommy - Married Allie (3 children - Richard, Faye, and Jorene).
Iva - Married Herman Lorenz - no children.
Myrtle - Married Perry Langford (3 children - Amy Iva, Herman and Perry, Jr. who died at 5 months).
My parents, Eugene and Eleanor Brunier met in New Mexico. Grandpa Brunier owned a small mine. Papa was a machinist. He was hauling mining machinery to the mine, he stopped at Grandpa Rabb's cattle ranch. He and Mama met and loved each other almost right away. They were married in Central, New Mexico on April 30, 1894.
Eugene and Eleanor had five children:
Amy Josephine - Born Congress, Arizona, August 14, 1896.
Ruby Margaret - Born Fort Bayard, New Mexico, May 9, 1898.
Eugene Alvin - Born Clifton, Arizona, December 6, 1900.
Arthur John - Born Globe, Arizona, February 23, 1904.
Milton Charles - Born Globe, Arizona, May 20, 1910.
Papa's father and mother were Eugene and Josephine Brunier. They belonged to the Catholic faith. Grandpa Brunier was educated in seven languages in France. We did not know them as well as we did Mother's family. They were very aristocratic. Papa left the Catholic church when he was 12 years of age. I do not know my grandmother's maiden name. Papa always kept in touch with them. They lost six babies before papa was born. They raised Eugene, Jr. and Josephine.
After Eugene and Eleanor Brunier were married they moved to Congress, Arizona, then to Fort Bayard, New Mexico in 1898. The Spanish American War was on. Amy Josephine was born in Congress, Arizona - Margaret in Fort Bayard. Then to Clifton, Arizona where Eugene Alvin was born. We lived in El Paso, Tombstone, and Nacasara Old Mexico. I do not know the correct spelling of the latter, that is the way it is pronounced. Mother became pregnant with Arthur John. She did not want her baby born in Mexico, so the family moved to Globe, Arizona. Arthur John and Milton Charles were born in Globe.
Amy Josephine married John Garfield Harris in Globe, Arizona on May 10, 1912. They had one son Hubert Garfield born in Globe in 1914. Ruby Margaret married Ralph W. Mayes in Globe, Arizona on December 16, 1917 during the first World War. They were married by William Riddle, Pastor of the Baptist Church. Witnessing the ceremony in the Parsonage were Eleanor Brunier, Iva Lorenz and John Garfield Harris. Ralph was in the 17th Cavalry. They had two children, Ralph, Jr. born March 30, 1919 and died on March 31, 1919 in Douglas, Arizona. The second child, Shirley Eleanor was born on October 8, 1923 in Miami, Arizona. Shirley married Calvin J. Weide (born November 14, 1923 in Santa Ana, California).
Eugene Alvin married Elizabeth Harris. He was a widower 15 years and then married Minnie Lloyd. Arthur John was married to Elva, Nina and Alene; all ended in divorce.
Milton Charles married Fay, they had four sons:
Charles Eugene - Married Carrol - they have four children. (Aileen, Charles, Jr., Audrey, and Robert).
Richard John - no marriage.
Stephen Michael - no marriage.
James married Patty - two children. (Jennifer and Sean)
I remember as a child traveling from town to town on the train where papa worked as a machinist. I remember El Paso, Texas, and Tombstone, Arizona. I was only four years old. I remember bouncing a ball on the board sidewalk in Tombstone. The ball fell through a hole in the sidewalk. A man we knew pulled up a board and got my ball. To this day I remember the man's name - Joe Escra.
When we would travel on the train I remember Mama calling us to look out of the windows to see the wild horses as they ran across the desert. There were hundreds of them. When we arrived in Globe, Arizona we were surprised to see so many Apache Indians. They sat on the curbs of the sidewalks. I do not think we ever got used to them. They were not industrious. They did not make and sell jewelry or baskets. This has nothing to do with our family tree, but I remember how they lived. Not in tepees but in wigwams. There was a school in Rice, Arizona where the girls were educated. As soon as they got out of school they went back to the wigwams and clothing like they did before being educated.
It must have been about 1903 when we arrived in Globe, Arizona. We all went to school in Globe. Amy and Ruby both married in Globe.
Grandpa Thomas Rabb died in Deming, New Mexico. He did not believe in owning slaves. He fought for his cattle ranch, family and his slaves. Grandmother Amy Rabb died in Deming, New Mexico, December 7, 1917. Grandpa John Rabb was living in a small town in New Mexico where he died in 1924. Eugene Brunier, Sr., Josephine and daughter Josephine died in Tucson, Arizona.
Papa Eugene Brunier II died June 27, 1955 in Seal Beach, California. Mama Eleanor Brunier died September 5, 1958 in Los Angeles, California. They are buried in the Westminster Cemetery in Westminster, California. Amy Josephine Brunier Amerine died December 28, 1960. She is buried by our parents. Ralph William Mayes, my husband and Shirley's father died October 1, 1966. He is also buried in the family plot in Westminster. There is much more I will write about later. Ruby Brunier Mayes
=====From the research of Sharon J. Rich, great-niece
==============================================================================
        Ruby married Ralph William MAYES 1, 2 on 16 Dec 1917 in Globe, Gila County, Arizona. Ralph died about 1969. He was buried 3 in Westminster Memorial Cemetery, Westminster, Orange County, California.
  19 M iii Eugene Alvin BRUNIER 1, 2 was born on 6 Dec 1900 in Clifton, Greenlee County, Arizona. He died 3 on 11 May 1988 in Los Angeles County, California. He was buried 4 in Westminster Memorial Cemetery, Westminster, Orange County, California.
        Eugene married (1) Elizabeth HARRIS 1 in 1944/1949. Elizabeth died about 1960.
        Eugene married (2) Minnie M. LLOYD 1. Minnie was born 2 on 27 Dec 1890 in Arkansas (or Arizona). She died 3 on 29 Nov 1977 in Los Angeles County, California.
  20 M iv Arthur John BRUNIER 1, 2 was born on 23 Feb 1904 in Globe, Gila County, Arizona. He died 3 on 15 Jun 1977 in Los Angeles County, California. He was buried 4 in Westminster Memorial Cemetery, Westminster, Orange County, California.
        Arthur married (1) Elva 1 in 1924.
        Arthur married (2) Nina 1.
        Arthur married (3) Alene 1.
  21 M v Milton Charles BRUNIER 1, 2 was born on 20 May 1910 in Globe, Gila County, Arizona. He died 3 on 28 Jul 1995 in Los Angeles County, California. He was buried 4 in Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier, Los Angeles County, California.
        Milton married Faye Nikolas (Okolzoff) AKALZIN 1 on 10 Jul 1937. Faye died in 2002 in Whittier, Los Angeles County, California.

10. Bessie Heber RABB 1, 2, 3 (John Thomas RABB , Martha Jane (or Eleanor) ) was born on 24 Aug 1881 in San Angelo, Green County, Texas. She died on 30 Jun 1963.

Bessie married Robert UTLEY 1 on 1 Oct 1914.

They had the following children:

  22 F i Eleanor UTLEY 1.
  23 F ii Robert UTLEY 1.
  24 F iii Martha UTLEY 1.

11. Thomas Branch RABB (John Thomas RABB , Martha Jane (or Eleanor) ) was born on 9 Jun 1883 in San Angelo, Green County, Texas. He died on 14 Sep 1952.

RESEARCHNOTES: San Angelo, Green, Texas? or San Angelo, Tom Green, Texas?
=====Sherrie Apperson
=========================================================================

Thomas married Allie PARSON 1 on 2 Feb 1917.

They had the following children:

  25 M i Richard RABB 1.
  26 F ii Faye RABB 1.
  27 F iii Jorene RABB 1.

13. Myrtle RABB 1, 2, 3 (John Thomas RABB , Martha Jane (or Eleanor) ) was born on 13 Dec 1892 in Gold Gulch, Grant County, New Mexico. She died on 2 Jan 1969 in Cottonwood, Pinal County, Arizona. She was buried in Cottonwood Cemetery, Cottonwood, Pinal County, Arizona.

BIRTH: Birthdate also listed as 18 Oct 1891 - unknown source
=====From the research of Sherrie Apperson
========================================================================


MARRIAGE: Marriage date - 27 July 1914
Marriage took place in parsonage of the Christian Church, (place ?), by the Reverend McClure. Myrtle was teaching school, and Perry was a cowboy.
=====From the research of Eva D. Lindsey, grand-daughter
========================================================================

Myrtle married William Perry LANGFORD 1, 2 on 27 Jun 1914. William was born on 2 Aug 1883 in Langsfords Cove, , Texas. He died on 5 Jul 1965. He was buried in Cottonwood Cemetery, Cottonwood, Pinal County, Arizona.

CONFLICTS: Birthdate: 31 Aug 1879 Birthplace: , , Oklahoma Territory
Death date: 3 Mar 1965
=====From the research of Eva D. Lindsey, grand-daughter
========================================================================

They had the following children:

  28 F i Amy Iva LANGFORD 1, 2 was born on 9 Sep 1915 in Deming, Luna County, New Mexico. She died on 2 Aug 1992 in Riverside, Riverside County, California. She was buried in Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier, Los Angeles County, California.
        Amy married (1) Joe Otho HAMILTON 1 in Apr 1934 in Cottonwood, , Arizona. The marriage ended in divorce.Joe was born on 23 Sep 1908 in of, Bremond, Robertson County, Texas. He died on 17 Jul 1989 in Duarte, Los Angeles County, California.
        Amy married (2) Winston D. LAWSON 1 in Sep 1948. Winston was born in of, Colorado.
  29 M ii Herman Clarence LANGFORD 1 was born on 24 Nov 1918 in Globe, Gila County, Arizona. He died on 8 Mar 1997 in Veterans Hospital, Prescott, , Arizona. He was buried in Cottonwood Cemetery, Cottonwood, , Arizona.
  30 M iii Perry LANGFORD Jr. 1 died in 0005.

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