Eliza Chumley

ELIZA CHUMLEY was born about 1824 [1-3] in Claiborne County, Tennessee. She died on 22 Sep 1870 in Polk County, Missouri at the age of 46, and was buried in King, Missouri. She married JAMES HARVEY LYNGAR (son of John V Lingar and Mary Polly) on 19 Jan 1843 in Claiborne County, Tennessee. [4] They had seven children in 16 years. He was born on 12 Feb 1821 in Claiborne County, Tennessee. [5] He died on 26 Jan 1902 in Greene County, Missouri.

Eliza and James lived in Missouri in 1850 [6]. They were neighbors to Eliza’s father, Robert and sister, Melinda, and her husband John Slatton. James is listed as a farmer with 3 children. Their first 3 children; John Franklin Lyngar, Andrew Chumley Lyngar, and Wiley Lyngar, were born in Claiborne County, Tennessee. However, Wiley died just before the 1850 census at age 2. Therefore, the 3rd child listed on the census was Emily who was born in 1849 in Polk County, Missouri.

By the 1860 census [7], 10 years later, James is listed as a farmer with a value of real estate of $1000 and personal estate of $500. The house next door where Robert lived 10 years ago with daughter Melinda and John Slatton is unoccupied.

In 1870, James is still farming, but his estate value has increased to $5,000 with a personal estate value of $1,720 [8]. His sons John Franklin and Andrew are listed as farmers, and there is a Junus Killingham listed on the census from Tennessee, age 18, who works on farm.

James Harvey Lyngar and Eliza Chumley had the following children:

(1) John Franklin Lyngar was born on 25 Jan 1844 in Claiborne County, Tennessee. He died on 14 Jan 1904 in Greenfield, Dade County, Missouri. He married:
(a) Missouri A. V. Long on 24 Apr 1870 in Greenfield, Dade County, Missouri. She was born on 01 Dec 1848 in Greenfield, Dade County, Missouri. She died on 12 Mar 1886 in Greenfield, Dade County, Missouri. [9]
(b) Anna M. Willard on 04 Sep 1888 in Bolivar, Polk County, Missouri. She was born in Apr 1862 in Illinois. She died in 1926.

John Franklin Lyngar served in the military on November 15, 1862, in Missouri when he was 18 years old. He served on the Union side in the American Civil War in Company F, 15th Regiment, Missouri Calvary, Private.

John attended Missouri Medical College in St. Louis in 1875 and obtained his license to practice medicine in 1883. [10] More information further on in this chapter about John and his medical career.

The following are from Barbara Berry Meger’s [11] research notes: Missouri A. V. Long Lyngar was the first wife of James Harvey and Eliza Chumley Lyngar’s oldest son, John Franklin Lyngar. Another source for the same adds this quote: “…and showing that they had fully and [deliberately] chosen each other as bosom companions for life, and were secretly pledged to each other for a faithful performance of all the duties arising out of the marriage relation…I did then and there agreeably to their wishes and conforming…”

John Franklin Lyngar was known as ‘Frank’. His second marriage was to Anna M. Willard, and they had Willard and Lillian. Thedra said that “Frank died in his chair after having spent a rigorous night and a.m. visiting patients with an epidemic of flu. Before him was a list of patients to see, but he told his wife he’d have to rest for a minute. When she found him, because a patient had come to their house for a prescription of medicine, he was slumped over with his head touching on the list of calls he intended to make.” Thedra also said he lived, practiced, and is buried in Greenfield, which is Dade County, Missouri. She also said that he was “just naturally a doctor, and his father sent him to medical school. He went on to New York for a while as a surgeon and was a dedicated family doctor like Andrew [his brother]. He was about 2-2 1/2 years older than Andrew. “I assume he went to Washington University in St. Louis because that is where Andrew went to medical school.”

(2) Andrew Chumley Lyngar was born on 18 Oct 1845 in Claiborne County, Tennessee. He died on 23 Oct 1906 in Pittsburg, Crawford County, Kansas. He married Adeline Camila “Ada” Spivey on 17 Feb 1867 in Dade County, Missouri. [12] She was born on 08 Jun 1848 in North Hampton County, North Carolina. She died on 03 May 1926 in Pittsburg, Crawford County, Kansas.

RECOLLECTIONS OF DR. A. C. LYNGAR GIVEN BY HIS HALF-SISTER, THEO THEDRA LYNGAR EDGE, JULY 28, 1966:

• Andrew always said to be sure that the proper spelling of Lyngar is always retained.
• Like his older brother, Frank, Andrew would never turn a patient down. Both were handsome men, and they were far ahead of their times. They didn’t look like brothers, but they were handsome and intelligent.
• When the war broke out, Andy wasn’t really old enough to go to war, but he enlisted and then told his folks. They let him go because it was what he really wanted to do. He made a good soldier and was not seriously wounded.
• After the war, he married a neighbor girl and settled down to farm. He didn’t like it though and decided to be a doctor like his brother, Frank. His father told him that if he wanted to be a doctor, he would help him through school and that he would help his wife, too, as she was pregnant. He was never the surgeon, though, like Frank with the long, tapered Lyngar fingers.
• After schooling, Andrew settled 40 acres in Opolis, Kansas, where he first practiced.
• The least was probably given Andrew of the three children, but he was of the nicest disposition.
  More of Andrew’s history further on in this book, provided by his great-great-great-granddaughter, Barbara Berry Meger.

(3) Wiley Lyngar was born on November 18, 1847, in Polk, Missouri. His father, James, was 26 and his mother, Eliza, was 23. He had three brothers and four sisters. He died as a child on March 10, 1850, in his hometown, and was buried in King, Missouri. He was only 2 years old when he died.

(4) Emily E. Lyngar was born on 02 Aug 1849 in Polk County, Missouri. She died as a teenager on 27 Dec 1862 at the age of 13 in Polk County, Missouri, and was buried in King Cemetery in Polk County, Missouri.

(5) Harriet Orleany Lyngar was born on 01 Jan 1853 in Polk County, Missouri. She died on March 19, 1922, in Missouri City, Texas, at the age of 69, and was buried in Turkey Creek Cemetery in Polk County, Missouri. She married Ellis Killingham “Ham” Jones on 20 Sep 1872 in Polk County, Missouri. [13] He was born on 20 Sep 1853 in Tennessee. He died on 16 Mar 1923 in Polk County, Missouri. They had five children in 16 years.

(6) Frances “Fannie” Josephine Lyngar was born on 25 Mar 1856 in Polk County, Missouri. She died on 25 Sep 1857 in Polk County, Missouri. She was buried in King Cemetery in Polk County, Missouri. She was only 1 year old.

(7) William V Lyngar was born on 13 Nov 1860 in Polk County, Missouri. He died at the age of 9 on 11 Sep 1870 in Polk County, Missouri and was buried in King Cemetery, Polk County, Missouri.

Eliza died in 1870, and James remarries Mary Susan Anderson in 1881. They had 1 child together, Thedra E. Lyngar who was born in 1892. Interestingly, one of our Chumley Research Members, Barbara Berry Meger, shared some information about her Lyngar ancestors, a rare treasure when you actually have stories of your ancestors. Barbara is a direct descendant of Andrew Chumley Lyngar, Eliza and James Harvey Lyngar’s 2nd child. As mentioned above, Andrew was born on 18 Oct 1845 in Claiborne County, Tennessee. He died on 23 Oct 1906 in Pittsburg, Crawford County, Kansas. He married Adeline Camila “Ada” Spivey on 17 Feb 1867 in Dade County, Missouri.

Barbara interviewed Thedra and the following is a transcription of a letter that Thedra wrote to Barbara in 1966:

Letter to Barbara Berry Meger from Thedra Lyngar Edge:
“I can tell you your great-great-great-grandfather (Andrew Lyngar) and wife and sons Dr. Frank and Dr. A. C. were all Handsome men. Your great-Great-Great-grandmother Lyngar had Beautiful Red hair (Eliza Chumley Lyngar). I talked with an older woman years ago who knew Eliza Lyngar and she told me Mrs. Lyngar did beautiful needle work and sewing. Please write again your 83 years young Thedra LE.”

Transcript of a letter written to Barbara Berry [Meger] on October 10, 1965, by Thedra Lyngar Edge [parenthetic information added by Barbara Meger in 1998]:

Springfield Mo.
Oct. 10-65

My Dear Barbara:
Please except an apology for my so slow answering your letter. I was delighted to receive it and hear you are interested in history and dates. American History was my favorite subject in school. I became very interested when I was 10 years old.

Dr. A. C. Lyngar’s family (my half-brother) was married and had a family when my father and mother (James Harvey Lyngar and 2nd wife Mary Susan Anderson) were married eleven (11) years after his first wife had passed away, so you see Marjori’s father Ottis the 2nd child of Andrew and Adline) is older than I, and several other of his grandchildren I wish to list them by families.

Marjori is a nice person. I think she retired from teaching school in K.C. after she had a serious accident a few years ago. She will appreciate your nice letter to me so much. I was very happy to receive your letter. I recall your Aunt Helen, the nice little girl and your young-looking mother (Frances Jennings Berry). The visit was after Marjorie Lyngar Evan’s Mother (Nora Belle Lawson, Jul. 21, 1873-June 16, 1957, married Otis Franklin Lyngar, Feb. 25, 1870-Jan. 12, 1909) had passed away. Yes, the Lyngar family History is very obscure, but I can tell you quite a lot about my father James H. Lingar and his family.

This is a small Part of Lyngar History. Beginning with my father’s parents. My father (James H. Lyngar) is your great-great-great-grandfather. My father’s parents (John V Lingar and Mary Polly) is where the Lyngar History is so obscure. My father said he was only three years old when his father died and only 6 years old when his mother died. There were 3 children left orphans: a brother, a sister and my father the youngest. Different families took the children to rear. Father knew his sister died, but he never knew what became of his brother. He was always asking strangers if they had ever heard the name of Lyngar and no one had ever heard the name. Only my father’s tribe of his two sons and their sons; sons, so few of them lived. We, the Lyngar girls, all got married and took our husband’s name. While they have the Lyngar blood, our children’s names are not Lyngar. It seems my father’s father fame into the country where his mother lived. Father thought she was born in one of the Carolina’s. It seems no one knew much about Mr. Lyngar. Father did not remember his father or mother’s given or first name. It seems his father had no relatives. Father thought his mother’s cousins helped to rear him in the Cumberland Mountains of Tennessee State.

My father’s name was James Harvey. He usually Signed his name J. H. Lyngar. The younger men in the neighborhood where he lived called him Uncle Harve. J. H. Lyngar was born Feb. 12, 1821. Passed away Jan. 26, 1902, when He was 21 years old. He was married to Eliza Chumbly in Tennessee. Notice the name of Chumbly. I think their first child’s name was either John Franklin or James Franklin. He signed Dr. J. F. Lyngar. Frank, father called him, was borned in Tennessee. The next child, your great-great-grandfather Andrew Chumbly Lyngar signed his name Dr. A. C. Lyngar. I do not know if he was borned in Tennessee or Missouri. J. H. Lyngar and several of the friends and neighbors came to Missouri with their wives and children, the covered wagon way, and Andrew, or Andy as he was called, was born around that time. I do not know his birth date.

Barbara, Andrew is buried in a cemetery in Pittsburg, Kansas. I suggest you write Aunt Helen, and I will write Marjorie L.E. The date may be on his headstone. Frank and Andy had a sister, Harriett O. Lyngar Jones. I knew her quite well she died several years ago. Her 5 children all passed away several years ago. Father and wife had 2 boys and 2 girls that died in childhood (Wiley, Emily, Fannie, and William). I recall many, many times going with father and my mother to the little country cemetery taking lovely flowers for all their graves. I was my mother’s only child.

RECOLLECTIONS OF JAMES HARVEY LYNGAR GIVEN BY HIS DAUGHTER, MRS. THEDRA LYNGAR EDGE, JULY 28, 1966:
—He always said that the name of Lyngar would eventually die out.
—He would never tell his true age until the very end. He was a young, old man.
—He was never told about his own family or parents. He thought that he was probably passed around after his parents died. He remembered a colored slave who had been kind to him before his mother died.
—He always felt that there had been a little money in his family. He never heard of any nationality, so the Lyngars are just Americans.
—He knew that he had an older brother, but he never knew what happened to him.—He was a good-looking boy, with coal black hair, and large brown eyes.
—He didn’t have much schooling; he was a wonderful man.
—When he was 13, he met a large plantation owner who was driving his cattle to New Orleans. The owner wanted to take Harve with him, and Harve wanted to go. The owner, though, was afraid that Harve’s folks wouldn’t let him, but Harve said they wouldn’t mind at all because he was extra anyway. They didn’t, and the owner put Harve under his own personal care during the drive. When he went to New Orleans, he knew that there must be a different life than what was around him. The planter paid him, and the first thing he bought was a good pair of shoes.
—During the War Between the States, Harve Lyngar took his team-he always had fine horses-and hauled supplies from Rolla, Missouri to south of Springfield. Sort of secret service work-he wasn’t enlisted-just did this on his own and under cover without any special instructions from higher military authorities.
—Like the state itself, Harve Lyngar was on either side. After Dadeville was burned to the ground and plundered by bushwhackers, he trained and was with the Home Guard.
—Although he did not have much formal education himself, Harve read everything, and no sacrifice was too great for education and for the education of his sons.
—He lived for the present and for the future.
—It was said in his community that if you wanted to know just how many pounds or ears of corn it would take to fatten a hog in a certain time-ask Harve Lyngar.
—He never drank or smoked and was a clean man. He never threw anything away but thought of a future use.
—During the Gold Rush days, he left the farm for a while and went out West to get rich.
—He is buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery 4½ miles northwest of Walnut Grove, Greene County, Missouri with his second wife, Mary, or “Mollie”, as he called her. [These graves have not been located in the Oak Grove Cemetery (3/1998)]
—I was 19 years old and married when Mother and Father passed away. She died first, suddenly of a heart attack and just 2 weeks from the day of her funeral Father passed away in January 1902; she January 11, father on January 26. They lived and I was born in Polk County.

This article of Eliza and James’s son, Andrew Chumley Lyngar also came from Barbara Berry Meger:

HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY [MO], p. 1046—
ANDREW C. LYNGAR, physician, surgeon, and druggist. He first came to Opolis in February 1879. He is a native of Walnut Grove, Greene County, Missouri, born in October 1845, a son of James and Eliza (Chumbley) Lyngar. They were both born and reared in Claiborne County, East Tennessee, where they married and came to Missouri, settling at Walnut Grove in 1844. He finally enlisted in the state service in Company A, Sixth Regiment Missouri Volunteer Cavalry, Federal army, and participated in the battles of Pea Ridge [Note: “The” Battle of Pea Ridge occurred in March 1862; A. C. enlisted Aug 17, 1862—bbm] and Prairie Grove. At the latter place, he was in the General Banks’s Red River expedition, and was promoted to second lieutenant in 1864, at the surrender of Shreveport, Louisiana. After peace was declared he was mustered out at New Orleans and returned to Greene County, Missouri and completed his education by procuring books and studying when not occupied in assisting his father on the farm. In 1868 he began the study of medicine in the same manner, being a close student for several years. During the sessions of 1873-74-75-76 he attended lectures at the Missouri Medical College, at St. Louis, graduating in March 1876, with the highest honors of his class. He practiced his profession for several years in Barton County, Missouri. When twenty-three years of age he was married to Miss Ada Spivey, born in January 1849, her parents being Benjamin and Rhoda (Gay) Spivey. The Doctor’s family consists of six children, as follows: Evelean, Ottis, James, Julia, Estella, and Walter N. The Doctor is a Master Mason, a member of Jasper Lodge, No. 398, since 1876.

Endnotes:
[1] 1850 US Federal Census shows Eliza age 23, husband Harvey age 27 and children listed Franklin 7, Andrew 6, and Emily 1. Year: 1850; Census Place: District 71, Polk, Missouri; Roll:
M432_411; Page: 28A
[2] Ancestry.com. Geneanet Community Trees Index [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2022. Original data: Geneanet Community Trees Index. Paris, France: Geneanet. Name: Elizabeth Eliza Emil Y Chumley. Gender: F (Female). Birth Date: 1824. Birthplace: Amelia Co, Virginia
/Claiborne County, Tennessee. Death Date: 22 Sep 1870. Death Place: King Cem, Polk, Missouri.
[3] U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current Find a Grave Memorial ID: 67115669
[4] Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002. Tennessee State Library and Archives; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002. Description – Year: 1838 Jun-1850 Nov:
Marriages, (Refilmed) 2
[5] U.S., Civil War Draft Registrations Records, 1863-1865. The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC. Record Group: 110; Collection Name: Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865 (Civil War Union Draft Records); NAI: 4213514;
Archive Volume Number: 2 of 2
[6] Ancestry.com: Year: 1850; Census Place: District 71, Polk, Missouri; Roll: M432_411; Page: 28A[7] Ancestry.com: Year: 1860; Census Place: Jackson, Polk, Missouri; Roll: Page: 203; Image: 202.
[8] Ancestry.com: Year: 1870; Census Place: Jackson, Polk,
Missouri; Roll: M593
[9] Dade County Missouri Marriage Records, Vol. I: Lingar, John
F. & Missouri A. V. Long. 24 April 1870. John McFarland M.G. Witt: David D’Arinone and William H. McBride. Book 4, p. 143.
[10] Directory of Deceased American Physicians, 1804-1929; Medical School: Missouri Medical College, St. Louis: McDowell Med. Coll., 1875, (G)
[11] Barbara Meger, 2nd great-granddaughter of Andrew Lynger and member of the Chumley/Chumbley Research Group.
[12] Missouri Marriages, 1766-1983. Marriage date: 17 Feb 1867 Marriage place: Dade.
[13] Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-2002. Marriage date: 20 Sep 1872 Marriage place: Polk.