Ancestral Letters
From: James Lionel Grisham
To: His Sister Florence Inez - 1939
30 September 1939
Municipal Airport
Nashville, TN
Dear Sister:
Herewith my first attempt at a Tree which unfortunately has to be based on assumption -- Assumption, however, which in turn is supported by two very strong facts.
One Gresham came into East Tennessee, Thomas, then of them all only one is unaccounted for -- Alexander Moses (?) or Moses Alexander (?). It can't be further removed since if it were the resemblances would not be so striking.
I have written Mr. Autry for any information which he may have. I plan to return to East Tennessee the first of next week where a Mrs. Murray has a trunk full of family documents, accumulated by one Peter Hess Gresham. She has
promised to lend them to me for exploration and research. I plan to bring them here and shake them down.
If, as and when, I want to take Strange's 'GRESHAM' Biographical and Historical Sketches of "THE GRESHAMS IN AMERICAN AND ACROSS THE SEAS", published in 1913, {this would be Alexander Taylor Strange, and was published
in Hillsborough, IL} bring it up to date on our side of the House and republish the work in sufficient quantity to furnish each one of the Children and Children's Children a copy of it. I realize it will be expensive but, then what is this life and opportunity for but to serve others to a richer inheritance.
My love, your brother,
Jim
PS. The enclosed tree has been taken from the book referred to above is which is not authentic.
Gresham Family Tree
James Lionel, Sr - b 1891
Wilton Thomas, Sr - b 1854, d 1920
Vinston Snipes, Sr - b 1827, d 1903
Alexander Moses - b ?, d ? - brother to Archibald, Sr - b 1800, d 1885
John, Sr - b 1764, d 1862
Thomas, Sr - b 1742, d 1806
John, Sr - b 1704, d ?
John, Jr - b ?, d 1723
John, Sr - b 1670, d 1712
John, b 1641 - d ? (the original nephew of Sir Thomas Gresham)
Sir Thomas, b 1519, d 1579 (Lord Mayor, London, 1537)
Sir Richard (Gentleman Extraordinaire to Henry VIII)
De Gresse - (the original French back to 1035)
- - - -
Archibald, Sr who is listed above was apparently the father of Fidello, b 1826, d 1894 and Fidello was apparently the mother of Alexander Taylor Strange, b 1850, died after 1913.
Municipal Airport
Nashville, TN
Dear Sister:
Herewith my first attempt at a Tree which unfortunately has to be based on assumption -- Assumption, however, which in turn is supported by two very strong facts.
- 1st. A strong family resemblance -- I simply can't tell you how much we look alike -- as an instance, Warren and Archibald are dead ringers -- you and a Mrs. Murray, daughter of Fidelle's brother, with whom I visited in Jonesboro recently. Mr. George Edgar Grisham is a perfect picture of Uncle Edwin (Edgar?).
- A constant re-ocurrrance of Family names, William, Thomas and Moses. (I regret exceedingly that I didn't keep my original name, even if it was hard to spell Lionel Moses to all the teachers.) Add is the fact that only
One Gresham came into East Tennessee, Thomas, then of them all only one is unaccounted for -- Alexander Moses (?) or Moses Alexander (?). It can't be further removed since if it were the resemblances would not be so striking.
I have written Mr. Autry for any information which he may have. I plan to return to East Tennessee the first of next week where a Mrs. Murray has a trunk full of family documents, accumulated by one Peter Hess Gresham. She has
promised to lend them to me for exploration and research. I plan to bring them here and shake them down.
If, as and when, I want to take Strange's 'GRESHAM' Biographical and Historical Sketches of "THE GRESHAMS IN AMERICAN AND ACROSS THE SEAS", published in 1913, {this would be Alexander Taylor Strange, and was published
in Hillsborough, IL} bring it up to date on our side of the House and republish the work in sufficient quantity to furnish each one of the Children and Children's Children a copy of it. I realize it will be expensive but, then what is this life and opportunity for but to serve others to a richer inheritance.
My love, your brother,
Jim
PS. The enclosed tree has been taken from the book referred to above is which is not authentic.
Gresham Family Tree
James Lionel, Sr - b 1891
Wilton Thomas, Sr - b 1854, d 1920
Vinston Snipes, Sr - b 1827, d 1903
Alexander Moses - b ?, d ? - brother to Archibald, Sr - b 1800, d 1885
John, Sr - b 1764, d 1862
Thomas, Sr - b 1742, d 1806
John, Sr - b 1704, d ?
John, Jr - b ?, d 1723
John, Sr - b 1670, d 1712
John, b 1641 - d ? (the original nephew of Sir Thomas Gresham)
Sir Thomas, b 1519, d 1579 (Lord Mayor, London, 1537)
Sir Richard (Gentleman Extraordinaire to Henry VIII)
De Gresse - (the original French back to 1035)
- - - -
Archibald, Sr who is listed above was apparently the father of Fidello, b 1826, d 1894 and Fidello was apparently the mother of Alexander Taylor Strange, b 1850, died after 1913.
From: Amy B. Flowers
To: Grisham Descendants - 1998
Sun, 2 Aug 1998
Wilton Thomas Grisham, b 22 May 1854 Drew Co, AR m (1) Asha Julia Lamb (2) Mary Ella Luckett.
Wilton was the son of Vinston Snipes Grisham, b 15 Mar 1827 TN and Christiana K Dishough, b 28 Sep 1827 Maury Co, TN.
Vinston was a son of Alexander Moses Grisham, but I know nothing more about him or his wife. Vinston and wife both buried Selma Cem in Drew Co. Their children married into the Prewitt, Howell, Boy(d/t) and Wells families. The
Howell line removed to Little Rock, Pulaski Co. The Boy line removed to Davis, OK. The others remained in Drew Co., AR.
Children of Wilton Grisham married into the Allen, McCone, Hughes, Jones, Gill and Leigh families in Drew and Chicot Counties.
Half of the above from my ancestral family Bible; the remainder was researched in 1912 (not by me!)
Amy B. Flowers
Wilton Thomas Grisham, b 22 May 1854 Drew Co, AR m (1) Asha Julia Lamb (2) Mary Ella Luckett.
Wilton was the son of Vinston Snipes Grisham, b 15 Mar 1827 TN and Christiana K Dishough, b 28 Sep 1827 Maury Co, TN.
Vinston was a son of Alexander Moses Grisham, but I know nothing more about him or his wife. Vinston and wife both buried Selma Cem in Drew Co. Their children married into the Prewitt, Howell, Boy(d/t) and Wells families. The
Howell line removed to Little Rock, Pulaski Co. The Boy line removed to Davis, OK. The others remained in Drew Co., AR.
Children of Wilton Grisham married into the Allen, McCone, Hughes, Jones, Gill and Leigh families in Drew and Chicot Counties.
Half of the above from my ancestral family Bible; the remainder was researched in 1912 (not by me!)
Amy B. Flowers