Thankful Thursday - Grandpa relaxing with Grandchildren

Editor's note: Today's post was edited by Sandra Gardner-Benward and written by member Jack BANK

Jack Bank, a proud Californian, shows off his pride in his ancestry in family pictures. Each February Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society produces a 'Show n Tell' with members bringing in their precious heirlooms to share with the rest of us. I want to share some of the stories with you.

Photo below:  Benjamin Franklin EATON with four of his grandchildren. They are Nellie Mae SHEETS b. 1907, Fama Lorraine SHEETS, b. 1902, Bennie Alfred BLACKMORE, b. 1906 and David Harold BLACKMORE, b. 1914.  This picture probably was taken in Jacksonville, Jackson Co, Oregon, about 1915.  I would say that a family picnic might have been the occasion.  He appears to be in very casual clothes in contrast with the other pictures where he is dressed up for the occasion.[Benjamin Franklin EATON is Jack BANK great grandfather]

Bennie Alfred BLACKMORE and David Harold BLACKMORE are the sons of David Joseph BLACKMORE 1871 – 1936 and Bessie May EATON 1882 – 1961.  
I don’t know much about the Blackmore family as I do not recall ever meeting any of them.  I have discovered that David Joseph BLACKMORE worked in the logging industry in Oregon.  

Fama Lorraine SHEETS and Nellie Mae SHEETS were the daughters of Henry Clay SHEETS 1868 – 1939 and Nellie Delila EATON 1879 – 1956.  My mother’s Aunt Nellie EATON SHEETS is the only one of this family that I have any memories of at family gatherings.  

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Following the Life of Benjamin Franklin  EATON
My [Jack BANK] great grandfather, Benjamin Franklin EATON was born in Whitley County, Kentucky,             27 August, 1844.  He worked as a teamster or freighter throughout his life.

1860 he was living in Elkhorn, San Joaquin County, California, having walked there from Kentucky with his nine brothers and three sisters after the death of their parents (no documentation YET)

1873 he married Jessie Patton JACK who was born in 1854 in Glasgow, Scotland
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1880 Benjamin and Jessie were living in Union Town, Jackson County, Oregon, and Jessie’s father, Peter JACK, a physician from Glasgow, Scotland, was living with them.

1888 they are now living in Ophir, Butte County, California.

Jessie Patton JACK EATON died in 1897

1910 Benjamin was back in Jacksonville, Jackson County, Oregon

1920 he was living with his son Louis and family in Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California

Benjamin died 16 February, 1927, in Palo Alto.  He was driving the local ice wagon in Palo Alto when the pin fell out of the drawbar.  While he was under the wagon replacing the pin, the horse jumped, pulling the wagon over him.  He died a few days later at home from his injuries

[from wikipedia:  Jacksonville is a city in Jackson County, Oregon,  about 5 miles west of Medford. It was named for Jackson Creek, which runs through the community and was the site of one of the first placer gold claims in the area - read more history about Jacksonville Oregon ]

Migration BUT WHY?  Whitley Co. KENTUCKY to Elkhorn, San Joaquin Co, CALIFORNIA to Union Town, Jackson Co, OREGON to  Ophir, Butte Co, CALIFORNIA to Jacksonville, Jackson Co, OREGON to Palo Alto, Santa Clara Co, CALIFORNIA  

TRUE or MYTH: Family tradition says that Benjamin walked to California, with his brothers and sisters, after their parents died. They came from Whitley County, Kentucky about 1850.  Soon after their arrival they all went to Oregon and  returned to California in the early 1900s.


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