George Washington Wees

George Washington Wees

June 23 1829, August 8 1897

George and Clementine Jane Godby Wees graves in Mt Hope, WVA

Clementine Jane Godby Wees

June 18 1833, August 16 1914

George and Clementine Wees are important in my research into the family history. I was told that my Great Grandmother Sarah Jane Wees was Cherokee. Well here are the parents of Sarah Jane Wees. George and Clementine are my 2nd Great Grandparents on the Cheek side. They were not Indian! One possible explanation for the Indian story is that the Wees family may have originally been of Jewish Origin.. The Weese line goes back to Franz Weiss born 1705 in Muhihofen, Palantine, Germany. Weiss is a well known Jewish name. I think it means White in German. Maybe the Wees family invented the Cherokee story to hide their Jewishness, I don't know.. I did read a story that before WW2 a Weese family member got a letter from a lawyer in Germany saying that he had inherited land in Germany and needed to go to Germany to claim it.. He wisely didn't go! If there is Jewish DNA in the Wees tree I didn't inherit much of it. Less than 1% Ashkenazi I am..

George was an interesting fellow. At the outbreak of the War of Northern Aggression. George enlisted in Hounshells Battallion, Thurmonds company of Partisan Cavalry Rangers. They were sort of an unofficial, official branch of The 51st Virginia cavalry.

Fayette Rangers -  Captain Philip Thurmond-  June 1861 Captain Philip Thurmond Partisan Ranger Company - May 2, 1862 Captain William Thurmond Partisan Ranger Company- Sept.19, 1862

The Fayette Rangers mustered at St. Albans with First Kanawha and was led by Col. William Tyree until his election as captain of the Mountain Cove Guard, June 6, 1861.  Philip Thurmond then became captain of the Fayette Rangers, attached Co L, 51st. Va, 3rd Regt. Philip J. Thurmond was born Oct. 24, 1826 and was killed in battle at Winfield on Oct. 26, 1864.  Older brother William D. Thurmond was born Dec. 11, 1820.  After the war, Bill founded the town of Thurmond, and he died May 14, 1910. (Royal Arch) Assigned as Company L, Third Regiment, by General Floyd.

William D. Thurmond Not Forgotten

Thurmond's Partisan Ranger Battalion consisted of Philip Thurmond's Company which guarded routes from Fayetteville to Union via Princeton, and William Thurmond's Company which scouted along the New River from Gauley Ferry to Dogwood Gap. The inaccessibility of the New River Gorge left this area to the mercy of bushwackers and guerrillas. The two companies of Thurmond's Rangers were recruited from Fayette, Raleigh, and Summers counties throughout the gorge.  And also.....

Amick's Partisan Rangers, Independent Company of Scouts, guarded Mountain Cove District, Sewell Mountain District, and the Wilderness District.  At the death of Big John Amick, John J. Halstead commanded the Nicholas County party of scouts.  Samuel Tyree, his father Francis Tyree police captain of Sewell Police District, joined his uncle William's Mountain Cove Guard.  Samuel Tyree was also an  original member of the Fayette Rangers. Was on scout by order of General John S Williams in 1862, and authorized to raise a company of rangers in 1863 as captain. This company was associated with First Battalion, but was kept constantly independent (Echols) during the whole war. Tyree's, Halstead's and Amick's frequently rode with Captains Bill and Phil Thurmond.  Gen. Chapman recommended to Sec. of War Seddon that Thurmond's and Tyree's partisan ranger companies form a battalion.  Maj. Genl Sam Jones endorsed and on October 29, 1863 Seddon designated them 44th Virginia Cavalry Battalion, however, the number was never mentioned again. October 7, 1864, Lt Col. Vincent "Clawhammer" Witcher recommended, "William and Philip Thurmond's companies, with Bumgard's and Amick's, about 300 strong..... are without organization, but I have placed Captain Philip Thurmond in command of them, and would respectfully suggest that they be organized into a battalion, and that he be prompted to a major."  However, Philip Thurmond was killed in battle on October 26th and the battalion did not form. Several other companies formed by 1864, for a total of eleven companies.  John W. Amick was given command of a Independent Battalion by 1865.  The combined Ranger companies would brigade with Colonel Vincent A. Witcher's 34th Battalion Virginia Cavalry and have regimental strength for battle, and with about 600 men, sought regimental recognition from Richmond in November 1864. Hounshell's Battalion was organized from Hounshell's Rangers, along with Thurmond's Battalion and Z. T. Morris Battalion. Hounshell was placed in command of the department when General Echols left with the army for Richmond and General Lee.  Captain Z. T. Morris temporarily replaced Hounshell in command of the battalion, and in February 1865, Captain William D. Thurmond took command of Hounshell's Partisan Rangers. Captain John Walker Amick then took command of the Independent battalion, formerly of Z. T. Morris.

Hounshell's Battalion Partisan Rangers Virginia Cavalry Col. David Hounshell, then Capt. Z. T. Morris, then Capt. W. Thurmond in Feb. 1865.

"Thurmond's Battalion "                             William Thurmond's Company- Capt. William D. Thurmond                             Company B- Capt. John D. Thurmond                             Capt. W.D. Huffman's Company (P. Thurmond Fayette Rangers)                             Capt. Robert. B. Gwinn's Company (from P. Thurmond Co.)                             Capt. P.W. Snider's Company (Thurmond)                             Capt. C. A. Hawvel's Company (Thurmond)                                                        "Amick's Independent Battalion"                             Capt. John James Halstead's Company ("Big John" Amick scouts)                               Capt. James.  M. Bumgarner's Company.   (Kanawha Scouts)                             Capt. Samuel Tyree's Company  (Ranger Co.  22nd & Police District )                             Company A- Capt. John W. Amick   ("Little John")            -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Fayette County Virginia, WVA Was firmly confederate land in the early stages of the Civil War.. George Wees and his Thurmonds company of partison rangers participated in many battles and skirmishes along with the 51st Virginia against the Northern Aggressors.. Notable among these was the Battle of Fayetteville Sept 9-11 1862 The Confederate loss at the Battle of Fayetteville was sixteen killed upon the field and thirty-two wounded.81 The Federal loss in the battle and during the entire four days while retreating down the valley, was twenty-five killed, ninety-five wounded, and one hundred ninety missing.. After the battle of Fayetteville the Federals retreated all the way to Point Pleasant... So when you hear that WVA sided with the North in the Civil War, I say Bullshit.. There is much more to the story. Our ancestors fought against the Yankees in every way they could.. The following article, by correspondent "D" of the Second Virginia Cavalry, entitled "Fayetteville in War Time, 1862," appeared in the Ironton (Ohio) Register on December 18, 1862: When I last wrote we were domiciled at Gauley, probably the most God forsaken country on this green earth. Now we are quartered in and near the village of Fayetteville, the shire town of Fayette County. It is a beautiful location; part of the village is on high ground with here and there small houses in the valley. From all appearances, before the war, the villagers really lived at home and had their respective places of residence surrounded with beautiful trees and shrubs of every kind. The village before the arrival of our boys was almost entirely de-populated having only one family living in it. Most of the buildings were much mutilated by the soldiers leaving only two or three houses untouched, one of which is a new and spacious brick were General Scammon is now quartered with his staff, and other high officials. Another house when we arrived here was used as a rebel hospital; now it is used by our forces as a hospital.

Company C- Capt. Joseph A. McClung

The Crown of Leinster

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_kings_of_LeinsterHere's some interesting facts. The most common name in Ireland is Kavanagh. Everyone with the name Kavanagh in their family tree is related to the Kings of Ireland, and specifically one man. Domhnall Caomhánach mac Murchada, 1171–1175 – first MacMurrough-Kavanagh. He was the first Caomhanach or Kavanagh. He was also one of the many kings of Leinster..  For a list of all the kings of Leinster go here...Kings of Leinster.. Well you say thats cool but what does that have to do with the Cheek's.I'm gonna tell ya...

Leinster was a kingdom in Ireland. Here's a map of Ireland about 900 AD. No family in Ireland can point to a more ancient pedigree than the Kavanaghs. They can trace it back to the dawn of Irish history. Tradition, indeed, carries it far beyond that limit – to the legendary Feniusa of Scythia, coeval with the Tower of Babel, whose descendants, having wandered into Egypt, found their way back again to Scthia, and thence to Spain, from which country Heber and Heremon, the 2 sons of Gallamhy or Milesius, crossed over to Ireland, reduced it to subjection and divided it between them. From them sprang lines of Kings ruling over the 5 monarchies into which the island was split up.

                                                                 Ireland 900 AD

Grandmother Alma Wilkersons father was Calvin Walter Wilkerson 1863,1930. Calvin's father was Robert Wesley Wilkerson 1823, 1882. Roberts father was Townsend Wilkenson 1804,1854. Townsend was married to Francis D Sheppard 1806, unk. Francis's father was Benjamin Sheppard 1772,1850. Benjamin s father was Robert Sheppard 1732,1797. Now Roberts father was Samuel Sheppard 1695, 1751. Samuel's wife was Mary KAVANAUGH born 1705 in Virginia. Now thats great but there are so many Kavanaughs you say.. Lets keep going.. Mary Kavanaugh's father was Michael Kavanaugh  born 1675 in Virginia. Michael's father was James Kavanaugh born 1645 in Ireland. James was married to Delores De Campomanes from Campomanes Spain, a little village in Northern Spain near the Basque country...Why was he in Spain? Visiting relatives.. James father was Sir Charles Kavanaugh 1620 to 1691, who died on a prison ship explosion off of Kinsale Ireland...Charles father was Morgan or Moroch Kavanaugh. 1631,1696 who along with his son Charles were involved in the Confederation War in Ireland.. Morgans father was

Domhnall Spainneach Mac Murrough Caomhánach (died 1632) was the last King of Leinster.

A descendant of Diarmait Mac Murchada (died 1171), Domhnall was the eldest of the two sons of Donnchadh Caomhánach, lord of the Art Buihde Caomhánach sept, who were reckoned the least powerful of the dynasty. Their lands lay north of Enniscorthy in the Blackstairs Mountains. It appears that at Donnchadh's death, Domhnall was taken into the care of the seneschal of Wexford, Thomas Stukeley. When Stukeley left for Spain in 1568 Domhnall went with him, which explains the origin of his nickname, Spainneach.
He returned to Ireland in the mid-1570s and became a leading member of his sept. He became a firm ally of Fiach McHugh O'Byrne with whom he intrigued until the latter's death in 1597. After O'Byrne's death, he intrigued with Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone. When the Nine Years' War (Ireland) ended in 1603, Domhnall submitted and was awarded a pension, as well as recognition of title to his lands.
Domhnall was married to Elizabeth O'Byrne (died in or after 1608), and Eleanor Kavanagh (died in, or after, 1633), and had a total of six children. He successfully conveyed his property to his son, Sir Morgan Kavanagh . His only known brother was Cathaoir.

The Confederation War broke out in Kilkenny in 1641, as the Irish attempted to throw out the English yet again, something that seem to happen at least once every generation. Sir Morgan Cavanaugh of Clonmullen, one of the leaders, was killed during a battle in 1646, and his two sons, Daniel and Charles (later Colonel Charles) continued with the struggle until the uprising was crushed by Cromwell in 1649. It is recorded that Daniel and other Carlow Kavanaghs exiled themselves to Spain, where their descendants are still found today, concentrated in the northwestern corner of that country. Young Charles, who married Mary Kavanagh, daughter of Brian Kavanagh of Borris, was either exiled to Nantes, France, or transported to Barbados… or both. Although we haven’t found a record of him in a military life in France, it is known that the crown of Leinster and other regal paraphernalia associated with the Kingship of Leinster was brought to France, where it was on display in Bordeaux, just south of Nantes, until the French Revolution in 1794. As Daniel and Charles were the heirs to the Leinster kings..

So we see here that the British stole our kingdom and killed our ancestors.. Also when you hear of the conflicts in Northern Ireland between the Catholics and the Protestants, that's still about the issues our ancestors fought for back in 15 and 16 hundreds.

Domhnall Spainneach Mac Murrough Caomhánach last King of Leinster was my 11th Great Grandfather.

Borris House Ancestral Home of the Kings of Leinster

 http://www.borrishouse.com/about-us/

Art Mor MacMurrough Kavanaugh and The Earl of Gloucester

            

     Art Mór Mac Murchadha Caomhánach (anglicized Art mac Art MacMurrough-Kavanagh; died 1416/17) is generally regarded as the most formidable of the later Kings of Leinster. He revived not only the royal family’s prerogatives but their lands and power. During the length of his forty-two year reign he fully lived up to his title, dominating the Anglo-Norman settlers of Leinster.

His dominance of the province and its inhabitants – both Gaelic and Hiberno-Norman – was deemed sufficiently detrimental to the colony that Richard II spent much of the years 1394-1395 sparring with him. While Art did indeed submit to Richard, he renounced this fealty on Richard’s departure and made much of his kingdom a death-trap for any invading English or Anglo-Irish forces. He was very much cut of the same cloth as his ancestors Diarmait mac Mail na mBo and Diarmaid Mac Murchadha.

                   

Eileen Aroon

In the 1640’s, Sir Morgan Kavanagh’s daughter, Eleanor Kavanagh, eloped with her lover, Cormac O’Daly. Such at least, is the legend, which gave rise to the song Eleanor (or Eileen) Aroon, better known in Scotland as Robin Adair, after a later proponent of the tune. Its fame even reached France, where Francois Boieldieu used it in the final act of his masterpiece, the opera La Dame Blanche in 182

 

 

 

Cokundiawatha

War Chief of the Mohawks, Robert Griffing

The Grave on the Hill

In Defiance Ohio, on the side of the North Side Hill, formerly Scalp Level, there is a Grave Marker. The Marker, a large Granite rock, says, Cokundiawtha Mohawk Chief 1790. That's all.. There is much more to the story.

 Cokundiawatha was a war chief of the Mohawk nation and fought with his tribe and the British against the Americans. As his tribe and the British were defeated, Cokundiawatha and his family moved west to the confluence of the Maumee and Auglaize Rivers. There they joined with Chief Blue Jacket and the Shawnee...

Cokundiawatha's family consisted of his Wife Cooh-Coo-Cheeh, a princess of the Wolf Clan, their sons. White Loon,  Black Loon, Wawpunno, and a daughter Quatsy. They were not the only non Shawnee at "The Glaize" in the year 1790. There were Chicamauga Cherokee, Delaware, Seneca, Cayuga, and Mohawk referred to collectively as Mingo spread amongst several towns near the Confluence, of the Miami of the Lake, Bean Creek, and The Auglaize.
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In October of 1790 Colonel Josiah Harner and his 400 militia and  Major Wyllys and his 60 regulars marched north from Cincinnati, seeking the Miami town of Kikionga. Which was where present day Ft. Wayne Indiana is today. On October 22 the American army entered Kikionga destroying everything they could find, harvested food, houses and anything that would be useful to the Natives.. Thinking the Indians had fled in fear they pursued the combined army of Miami Shawnee, Mingo and others. There were two battles that day, both defeats for the Americans.. In the second battle the Indians stopped their retreat and faced their pursuers in the swamp to which they had been led. Throwing down their guns the Natives attacked the Americans with tomahawks. It was while in the process of tomahawking an American soldier that Cokundiawatha received a fatal wound from a bayonet. The Natives call this the Battle of the Pumpkins for the scalped heads of the 187 dead Americans resembled pumpkins, steaming in the cold autumn air...

Cokundiawatha died on his return trip to the Glaize and was buried some 20 miles up the Maumee from home.When hearing the news Cooh-Coo-Cheeh and her sons went and retrieved her husband and returned to bury him next to the old war trail on the north side of the Maumee. She then built a cabin there, directly across the trail from her husbands Grave. It was that cabin that White Loon and Black Loon brought Oliver Spencer,  two years later.
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Cokundiawatha was buried sitting up, looking west, for that was where the Happy hunting ground lay, with his rifle, tomahawk and everything he would need in his next life by his side..Over his grave there was a pole placed with the face of a man, painted red and marks on the pole for each of the warriors scalps. On special occasions there was a long pole erected hanging over the grave of Cokundiawatha, with 19 scalps of all colors hanging from it.as reported by Oliver Spencer and William Wells.

So the next time you're driving out 424 to Pontiac Park and Independance Dam, just imagine Cokundiawatha sitting there looking west. With his warpaint on and his weapons by his side, and his scalp pole with 19 scalps of all colors flying in the wind... and wonder why did they misspell his name on the stone, I think they just ran out of room and fudged it.. John C Cheek

Sources: The Captivity of Oliver Spencer by Oliver Spencer
Black Snakes Path: William Heath