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1800 - 1830

Philip Teel is my 4th Great-Grandfather.

Philip Teel born about 1762, died about 1858

Lucinda “Lucy” Teel born about 1773, died 27 Sept 1853

Between 1800 and 1830 Philip and Lucy Teel appear to have been living in Whitehall Township, Washington County, New York. In 1800 it was just Philip 37 and Lucy 26. Thirty years later, the census reveals they had four children in the household. The oldest (living at home) was Martha age 19, then Peter T. was age 17 and Mary Jane, age 12. Peter’s siblings, Elizabeth 31, John 30, Catherine 20, and Samuel 18 are presumed to have flown the coop.

Finally, listed is a child between 5 and 9, I’m not sure who this might be. Many times, children from other family members or friends would be living with relatives for various reasons, death of parents, abandonment (these were heard times) to name just a few. In 20 years, Philip, Lucy and their son Samuel will turn up in Virginia. They probably would have been drawn there by their son Peter who moved to Virginia sometime between 1830 and 1839.

1840 - 1850

Peter T. Teel is my 3rd Great-Grandfather.

Between 1840 and 1850 the US Census showed Peter and Rebecca Teel living in Western District, Tazewell County, Virginia. We know that they had been in that area before 1840 because they were married in Giles County right next to Tazewell County in 1839. Also in the Teel household in 1840 is infant William Jackson.

1850 now finds the Peter Teel family has expanded to 7 children. Peter and Rebecca have been busy! Interestingly, Philip and Lucy Teel have now joined their son’s family. I can only imagine that they must have accompanied Peter’s older brother Samuel L Teel for the arduous trip from Washington County New York. Philip is 88 and Lucy is 77 (despite what the 1850 census record says). Peter’s oldest brother John died 19 years earlier in 1831, and there are property tax documents recorded with Samuel listed with Peter and Philip during this time. As far as I can find, Samuel never got married. Unfortunately, death records indicate that Lucy dies while living in Virginia in 1853 of Colic.

1856

Now we see that Peter and Rebecca Teel have relocated once again. The  US Census shows that Peter and Rebecca Teel have left Tazewell County, Virginia and are now in Lee County, Iowa right on the Northern border of Missouri. Four years later the Census will record the family in Clark County Missouri.

After some study of the history of the country during this time in history, here is my theory: The year is 1856 and back in Virginia, Peter and the family must have no doubt been feeling the turmoil that was brewing in Virginia. After all, they lived smack dab in the middle of the conflict that was brewing between the North and South. Even though Peter had a slave, a 60 year old woman, I don’t think Peter was sold out to the idea of slavery or to the Confederate idea. He couldn’t protect his family where he was, so I believe Peter packed up the family, freed his slave and got out of Virginia with his sights set on an area that was at the very least somewhat neutral. Missouri was 1 of 5 war border states.

Again, this record finds the family just miles from the Missouri Northern border. Peter’s father Philip has accompanied the family to Iowa. Lucy died 3 years earlier. Lastly, the family has changed a little since leaving Virginia. Zacarias T. was 1 year old in the 1850 census but is not listed in this census. Unfortunately, he must have died, possibly in route to their new home. On a happier note, new to the household are Elisabeth age 4 and Nancy M. Age 3.

1860

By the year 1860 the family had made the short move to Clark County, Missouri.  As far as I can tell, Missouri is where Peter and Rebecca spend the rest of their lives. The family is farming and all 8 of the children are living in the household. The oldest is William at 20 and the youngest is Nancy at 6. This is the Civil War decade and will be a trying time for the family. In spite of terrible guerrilla warfare in Missouri, this border state remained loyal to the Union throughout the war. I interject again that the family's move to Missouri may have been driven by the pending Civil War. The family would be in a far safer environment compared to Virginia. Peter’s decision to move the family from Virginia to Missouri may have saved the lives of our entire Teel linage. Charles “Chas” Teel my 2nd Great-Grandfather is 14 and most likely working the farm with dad and his brothers William, James and Henry. Philip Teel is not listed in this Census and has most likely died sometime between 1856 (he was 92) and now.

1870

1870 Census finds the Peter Teel family, or what is left of it, has relocated to Jasper County in Southwest Missouri. The only children left in the household are Elizabeth at 18 and Nancy at 16. Peter and Rebecca at 55 may be working a farm with Their his son Chas who now lives a short distance away. Peter dies in 1872 but not before creating a last will and testament that heirs all his possessions of money and land to Rebecca (executor) and living children.

Charles “Chas” Teel is my 2nd Great-Grandfather.

He and his wife Jennie are living not far from Dad and Mom in Jasper County. Records indicate that Chas and Jennie got married before leaving Clark County Missouri. Chas is 21 and Jennie (Jane) is 19. They have one 2 year old living under the household; my Great-Grandfather, John Elmus Teel.

Added note: Chas’ older brother James has moved to Van Zandt County Texas and is living there with his wife Amanda and 2 yr old son Martin. Chas and Jennie will move the family to Texas sometime between now and 1880.

1880

The 1880 Lamar County, Texas Census finds the Chas Teel family has moved. Texas will be a state where the Teel family will call home for generations to come. At home with Chas 35 and Jennie 29, are John E. Now 12, Chas May 9, and Addie and Edie, twins at 5 years. His son, Chas May was nicknamed “Little May”. Again, Chas and Jennie are working a farm, most likely cotton, outside the town of Paris. This time John Elmus is the only farmhand old enough to work alongside dad as the census lists his occupation as farm worker. The Teel's spend the next number of decades in this area of Texas as John grows up, marries and raises his sons and daughters; one of them being my Grandfather Herbert “Bud” Teel. Bud Teel too remained in this area until he left home somewhere around 1917.

1900 - 1910

John Elmus Teel is my Great Grandfather

The John Elmus Teel family was living in the Lamar County Texas, Paris area in both the 1900 and the 1910 US Census records. John, although born in Missouri, came to this area with his family before 1880.

John and his wife Lizzie were married in 1889 here in Lamar County. Their first child, Oressa, was born a year later. Now 10 years later the family has grown to an additional 4 children; Herbert 8, Helen 6, Jim 5 and William 1 month. The family is farming (assumed to be cotton), and John may be getting help from other family since this the same ground that his father Chas worked since before 1880.

The year is now 1910 and The John Teel family is still living and working the family farm in Lamar County. Now there are 8 children with 7 of them living at home. Oressa has left to her own family now. Morris is the youngest at 2 and Herbert “Bud” is 18. The photo (#417) is a photo of the John Elmus family on the Lamar County homestead and believed to be taken around this time (1910). Of the limited pictures we have of John Elmus, one of my favorites is the photo with his two sisters believed to be taken in Dallas at the turn of the century.

1920

Herbert Gaston “Bud” Teel is my Grandfather

February of 1920 finds Grandpa Bud (27) and Grandma Ruth (23) in San Angelo Texas. John Elmus (Dad) has died since 1910; living next door are Bud’s brother William Teel, age 19 as head of the household and Lizzie his mother age 46. Also listed are Bud’s siblings Earl (17), Edith (14), Morris (11) and John Teel (8). I’m assuming Helen Elena and James “Jim” are off on their own. Bud is listed as a Farm Laborer as is his brothers Will and Earl. Bud and Ruth’s first child Helen will be born in November later that year. I could find no record of Bud and Ruth’s marriage but believe it to be not long before, I’m thinking this was their very first home. Bud was still single when he registered for WWI in about September of 1918, he was 26.

There was no record found for the death of John Elmus. He was alive in 1910, the same year as the birth of his last child John Thomas. Interestingly, the WWI registration for Bud indicates he is still in the Lamar County Texas area. If our assumption is that John Elmus died sometime after 1910, it is conceivable that Bud was running the cotton farm after his dad’s death for some period of time. Then the decision was made to sell the farm and move the family to the San Angelo area. I am not sure what drove the decision to move but I am fairly sure the decision was made by Bud, the oldest male and head of the household.

1930

The 1930 census, taken on April 4th, has the Bud Teel family living in Barstow, Ward County, Texas. Living in the household are Bud (36, Ruth (33), Jessie H. (10), Emmett B. (8), Elmer G. (Almost 5), and Meredith A. (1 month). Also living in the household are Ruth’s father Algy E. Hall (61) and her brother Harry H Hall (40).

Bud’s occupation is listed as “Foreman” and Industry is “Section”. We know that Bud worked for the State Highway Department. On the 1940 census and his 1942 WWII draft registration his employer is listed as such. I can only assume that he is a section foreman for the Highway Dept.

There are a picture that may connect directly to this time period; a tattered picture (#233) of the kids, Helen, Emmett, Elmer and Meredith sitting on the hood of a Model A, The year on the license plate of the Model A is 1930.

1940

The 1940 census has the Bud Teel family living in Upton County, Texas, somewhere near McCamey. This is the only census record for the family that has all 6 kids living in the household. Bud (46) and Ruth (42) have living with them; Helen (19), Emmett (16), Elmer (14), Meredith (10), Johnnie (7) and Joan (4). Also living in the house is a boarder named Wayne Blackstock, possibly a family friend. Bud’s occupation is still with the Highway Department listed as a maintenance patrolman. Helen is working as a waitress at a local cafe and Emmett  and Elmer are Caddies at the local golf links; Emmett is listed as a “Caddy Master”.

The family has survived the great depression, times were still hard but the family is rich; and you know I ain’t talking about money!

1950

The 1950 census has the Bud Teel family now living in Jal, New Mexico. Living in the Bud Teel household are Bud (56) and Ruth (53) with children Johnny (17) and Joan (14). Also living in the household is daughter Meredith (20) and her son Terry (1) from Meredith’s first marriage in 1946 to Joe Allen Forbess.

Bud’s occupation is now Pipefitting in Gas Production, an occupation he would hold until his death in 1959. Meredith is working full time as a waitress in a cafe. There is a picture (#104) that may be connected to this time period. The picture shows Bud and Ruth standing on the porch and it appears Bud is ready and leaving for work. The look on Bud’s face is one of pure joy and the look on the face of Ruth is pure pride in the man she fell in love with.

1953

The 1953 Midland Texas City Directory lists H.G. And Ruth Teel living on Bryant Street. Also listed at the same address is Johnny C. and Deloris V. Interestingly, Anna M. Teel is listed at an address about 3 miles away. I am not sure if this is my mom or not but it would be quite the coincidence for a stranger with the exact same name to be living in the same town as our Teel family. However she is listed a Miss and not Mrs. Here is the listing:

Teel Anna M h129 Gist

- Deloris V Mrs sten Union Oil Co of California r2009 Bryant

- H.G. (Ruth) pipeftr ElPaso Natural Gas h2009 Bryant

- Johnny C (Deloris V) USA r2009

1955 - 1959

The last four years of Bud’s life with Ruth were spent living in El Paso Texas. The 1955 US Cities directory had them living at 2621 Frankfort Ave and then from 1956 until the time of Bud’s death they were living at 3810 Harrison Ave. Bud continued to work for El Paso Natural Gas as a Pipefitter until he died on November 11, 1959. He was 67.

Ruth remained living close to her children from then until her death in October 1967. She died of a heart attack while bowling (she loved to bowl) in Farmington New Mexico. Grandma Ruth was living at the time in the Farmington area and had lived with my family for a period in the mid-sixties. Grandma Ruth loved spending time with her grand kid. I remember the fun we had playing Yahtzee in her trailer on family camping trips. Grandma and 6 or 8 grand kids in a tiny little camp trailer, having a blast!