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PUNGOTEAGUE QUILT

AMERICAN RED CROSS QUILT

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Benjamin William Mears was born on 17 October 1833 in Keller, Accomack to John B Mears (1808-1851) and Sarah Jane Ames (1813-1898). Benjamin married Emma Susan Mapp on 28 January 1857 in Accomack. Susan was born on 17 September 1839 in Accomack to George Bowdoin Mapp (1812-1891) and Ann James Edmunds (1816-1895). Emma had four siblings, James Thomas (1835-1872), Leah A (1837-1911), George W (1844-1918) and John Emory (1846-1927).

Benjamin farmed in Pungoteague. He and Emma had nine children,

Ella P (1858-1858),
Leonard Cecil (1861-1935),
Otho Frederick (1862-1931),
Sarah Annie Edmonds (1865-1956),
Emma Cora (1868-1926),
Eva (1872-1873),
Harry Everett (1875-1935),
John Bowdoin (1879-1947) and
Charles Benjamin (1880-1943).

Leonard Cecil Mears was born on 11 March 1861 in Keller. He married Jennie M Custis 26 January 1888 in Onancock, Accomack. Jennie was born on 28 August 1859 in Accomack to John Wise Custis (1833-1861) and Rose E Major (1839-1878). Jennie had one brother, John Wise Jr (1858-1859).

Leonard and Jennie had four sons,

Frederick C (1889-1889),
Page M (1890-1892),
Leonard Cecil Jr (1894-1928) and
John Custis (1898-1905).

Leonard Cecil married Edith Cleve Turner on 26 November 1919 in Painter, Virginia. Edith was born on 1 February 1892 in Accomack to Joshua H Turner (1864-1915) and Emma Caherine “Kate” Taylor (1867-1937). Edith had three siblings, Harold Linwood (1887-1956), James Edward Sr (1888-1945) and Emma Catherine (1898-1984).

James Edward Turner Sr was born on 12 September 1888 in Mandua, Virginia. James began his working life as a bank cashier, but by the time he enlisted for WWI in 1917 he is described as ‘farmer and merchant’. James married Leslie “Chick” Kuck on 5 June 1919 in Savannah, Georgia. Chick was born on 10 September 1894 in Savannah, Georgia to John Kuck (1848-1906) and Annie Elizabeth Helmken (1859-1938). Chick had five siblings, John Martin Helmken (1880-1881), Estelle Minn Elizabeth (1882-1937), Georgia Edua Caroline (1885-1954), John Frederick Read (1888-1964) and Herbert Helmken (1890-1904).

James and Chick had three children,

Leslie V (1921-1995),
Edith Cleve Jr (1922-2006) and
James Edward Jr (1930-2008).

James and Chick divorced in 1933. James went on to work for the Ford Motor Company in Detroit, Michigan. He died on 19 April 1945 in Detroit. Chick died on 18 November 1966 in Savannah, Georgia.

Harry Everett Mears was born on 2 February 1875 in Keller, Accomack. Harry farmed in Pungoteague and was postmaster for Keller around 1900. He married Virginia Eugenia Elsie Tregor in about 1907. Virginia was born on 9 December 1876 in Virginia to Marcus A Tregor (1839-1912) and Rosalie Theckla Miller (b 1845). Virginia had two siblings, John D (b 1867) and Harry Albert (1877-1948). Virginia had one daughter, Elsie R Blome (b 1895) by her first husband, Walter F Blome (b 1873).

Virginia died on 3 February 1913 in Keller.

Harry married Lillian P Swanner on 3 April 1915 in Richmond, Virginia. Lillian was born on 9 September 1892 in North Carolina to Joshua Eli Swanner (1855-1928) and Ella Doea Williams (1870-1958). Lillian had six siblings, Clethia (1890-1972), Eleanor (1898-1983), Ava Belle (1900-1985), Joshua Bruce (1902-1999), Victoria (1903-1904) and Bess Taylor (1915-1918).

Harry continued to farm in Pungoteague. He died on 26 October 1935 in Accomack. Lillian died on 16 September 1964 in Alexandria, Virginia.

Charles Benjamin Mears was born on 28 August 1880 in Keller. He married Henrietta Adelaide Battaile on 22 June 1909 in Pungoteague. Henrietta was born on 17 October 1875 in Accomack to Henry Battaile (1830-1910) and Adelaide Mary (Addie) Rogers (1838-1881).

Henrietta had seven siblings, George Seymour (1863-1885), Ann Hay Taliaferro (1864-1899), Mary E (1866-1941), Ellen "Nellie" Zipporah (1868-1964), Francis Whitaker (1870-1909), Margaret "Maggie" Sue (1872-1963) and Estelle Conway (1878-1968).

Charles worked as a bookkeeper and then cashier in a bank in Pungoteague. Later he worked for the National Farm Loan Association He and Henrietta had one daughter,

Frances Adelaide (1911-1998).

Frances Adelaide Mears was born on 29 December 1911 in Accomack. Frances studied at the Hollins College, Roanoke, Virginia in the 1930s. Frances married Ephraim Roland Mulford III in New Jersey on 11 January 1940. Ehraim Roland Mulford Jr (1880-1939) and Martha James Anderson (1883-1970). Ehraim had seven siblings, Caroline W (1905-1986), Martha B (1908-2003), Louisa Gray (1909-1986), Richard A (1911-), William P (1914-1993), James M (1920-1975) and David B (1926-1996).

Frances taught mathematics at St Mary’s Hall-Duane Academy in Burlington, New Jersey for thirty-four years from 1954 to her retirement in 1987.

Frances and Ehpraim had two daughters, Frances and Martha.

Ehraim died on 10 July 1976 in Burlington, New Jersey. Frances died on 1 May 1998 in Williamsport, Washington, Maryland.

Charles died on 6 July 1943 in Pungoteague. Henrietta died on 21 August 1961 in Accomack.

Benjamin died on 2 December 1896 in Keller, Accomack. Emma died on 9 November 1914 in Pungoteague.


This family tree can be found on Ancestry under the title 6517 Mears 1/Stevens Tree.


Margaret "Maggie" Sue Battaile (1872-1963) and Estelle Conway Battaile(1878-1968) also appear on the quilt and their story is told here.

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CHARLES BENJAMIN MEARS, Mrs C B MEARS née HENRIETTA ADELAIDE BATTAILE,

FRANCES ADELAIDE MEARS, HARRY EVERETT MEARS,

JAMES EDWARD TURNER Sr

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