Getting the Cavenees Figured Out

Above is a photo of the headstone for Pearl & John Franklin Cavenee' little boy Chester who died as an infant. The stone can be found in the Wessington Cemetery.

There are so many Cavenees in the Wilson family...I've been avoiding facing them and getting them figured out. Again, I must thank Col. Jack Stevens and Bonnie Cavenee Runge for kindling the interest in this family.

In 2007, Jack wrote..."1900 Census, Nance Twp., Beadle Co., Wessington, South Dakota; William W. Wilson, b. Sept. 1833, Luzern Co., Penn. & spouse, Lydia A. Wilson, b. Oct. 27, 1840, Ohio; a dau., Pearl Wilson, b. March 1877, Iowa; a niece, Mary Wilson (Hill)living in Walla Walla, WA, b. Nov. 1889, SD, father b. Penn. and mother b. Virginia (Illinois). Harold H. Case, hired hand, b. May 1877, Indiana, parents b. Conn. & NY. William & Lydia both list parents b. Penn. (m. 35 years, 5 children born - all 5 living), William E. died in young Manhood, Omaha, NE - Rozella (Brachvogel) - Rozetta (Carrington...my ggrandmother) living near Wessington, SD - Mary (Brachvogel) and Pearl living in Forsyth, MT. Peal Wilson m. Frank Cavenee, son Lloyd Cavenee m. Mabel McNeely, they had a son Arthur Franklin Cavenee, who m. Maxine Peterson, living in Wessington, SD...descendant and informant.

What is interesting is that Jack shared the following handwritten note composed in 1860 - 40 years before, "On 20 June, 1860, a family named Cavende lived in the Fairmount Township of Luzerne County, PA. The husband was Wesley, age 35. His wife was Martha, age 24. Children included Charley, 6, Wilbur 7, Miller 4, and Elizabeth 5. All had been born in Penn. Remember that it was in Luzerne County that the Wilsons were living at the same time. It just so happens that Frank's father was named Wesley and his mother was Martha. Frank wasn't born until 1863. I do have a Charley and an Elizabeth, perhaps the other two went by their middle names. I have Chester and William instead. There hasn't been any information found about Charles, Chester, William and Elizabeth, brothers and sister of Frank Cavenee. This would be interesting to "dig" into.
And what is even more interesting is that Wesley's wife, Martha had the last name of Wilson. She was the sister of William White Wilson and Fletcher (John) and Joseph. Her parents were Joseph Wilson and Annie White...another interrelationship amongst rural families in our heritage. So John Franklin Cavanee married his cousin Pearl Wilson. Wesley and Martha were divorced in 1865. Martha married a Robert Hobkirk that same year. A good subject for another posting. Pearl was the last of William and Lydia's children.

Pearl and Frank had the following children; Chester, Lloyd, Nina, Clifford, William and Hazel.