Isaac R (1860-1920?) “Uncle Gun” worked with his father, farming Poplar Hill. As a young man Uncle Gun purchased his own farm and home on Poplar Hill (Poplar Hill was over 1100 acres it was divided between many farmers). Willie Jackson and Boles Riley delighted in telling the story of Uncle Gun and Hester Bond being the parents of Mary Lou. However, Boles and Willie were young children at the time, but remembered that Hester died in childbirth. Scandal seemed to have been the story behind the relationship of Uncle Gun and Hester, according to Willie and Boles, however, they would not share what that might have been. Uncle Gun farmed his entire life in Jefferson County, in the September of his years he went to live with his daughter and
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In letters to both his Medora and sister, Elvira, he told of the adventures experienced in foreign lands, but also expressed his fear, the terror on the battlefield, and the details of the impact of the causalities of war. Surprisingly, one of the letters sent to his sister, Elvira, appeared in the hometown newspaper, The Fayette Chronicle, September 13, 1898, titled: Jefferson County Colored Soldier. (The Spanish-American War (1898) was a conflict between the United States and Spain that ended Spanish colonial rule in the Americas and resulted in U.S. acquisition of territories in the western Pacific and Latin America. http://www.history.com/topics/spanish-american-war). When the war was over, he returned to Fort Douglas, UT his last duty station, Merriman retired and the family settled in Salt Lake City. Ten children blessed this marriage of Medora and Merriman: Delaney James, Medora, Merriman Howard, Estella Elvira, Theodore Arthur, John, Bessie, Lillie, Mildred, and Richard, Fort Bayard, New Mexico was the birthplace of their first six children and the last four children were born in Salt Lake City. Following the example of their father, the sons of Medora and Merriman all served this nation in the armed forces. Medora died in 1936 ten years after her husband of 39
In letters to both his Medora and sister, Elvira, he told of the adventures experienced in foreign lands, but also expressed his fear, the terror on the battlefield, and the details of the impact of the causalities of war. Surprisingly, one of the letters sent to his sister, Elvira, appeared in the hometown newspaper, The Fayette Chronicle, September 13, 1898, titled: Jefferson County Colored Soldier. (The Spanish-American War (1898) was a conflict between the United States and Spain that ended Spanish colonial rule in the Americas and resulted in U.S. acquisition of territories in the western Pacific and Latin America. http://www.history.com/topics/spanish-american-war). When the war was over, he returned to Fort Douglas, UT his last duty station, Merriman retired and the family settled in Salt Lake City. Ten children blessed this marriage of Medora and Merriman: Delaney James, Medora, Merriman Howard, Estella Elvira, Theodore Arthur, John, Bessie, Lillie, Mildred, and Richard, Fort Bayard, New Mexico was the birthplace of their first six children and the last four children were born in Salt Lake City. Following the example of their father, the sons of Medora and Merriman all served this nation in the armed forces. Medora died in 1936 ten years after her husband of 39