STAFFORDS ARRIVE IN AMERICA IN 1620

This email that I received April 5, 2012, came from a schoolgirl chum of my Heathcote cousin Bonnie.
Evidently I met Bonnie's friend when I visited my mother during one summer break from college in Lake Forest, Illinois. 
It is so weird for me to learn that this friend of Bonnie's married a Stafford and she is now Connie Stafford.  (Hey, that's my gig!) She had some interesting news about my Stafford line.
Lynn and I may really be cousins (like we told fellow classmates in junior high school), but removed many generations.

Dear Connie Jean:


You probably won’t know me, as I only met you once in Santa Ana, CA, about 1955. I was a school friend of Bonnie. We attended Willard Jr. High and then Santa Ana High School together. During this time, I got to know your mother quite well. She was an interesting lady, and was so proud of you. Bonnie and I heard many wonderful stories about you.

Bonnie dropped out of school after her Sophomore year of High School and married Ron Collins. After I graduated from High School, I married Melvin Stafford. Mel and I moved to Nebraska after he mustered out of the Marine Corp. We did return to California, however, and lived in San Diego CA, for several years before returning to the Orange Co., L. A. Co. area. In the meantime Bonnie and Ron moved to North Carolina, after that I completely lost track of her.

Recently, I started a search using the information she told me about her family. I was delighted when I found she was living in The Dalles, Oregon. I now live in Washington and thought I could drive there and see her. My delight was short lived when I found she had passed away last year. I found your web site and was so surprised to see many of the photos of Bonnie and her family that she had shown me back in the 50’s. I really enjoyed learning a bit more about her life and children, thank you for putting the information on line.

Another reason I am writing to you is that my husband is related to your late father, same family tree, different branch. I remembered the picture of him that your mother always had sitting out in her living room. I always thought he looked much like the men in Mel’s family. After finding the information that you put on line, I was able to make the connection.

Your father’s family started with Thomas Stafford b. abt 1620 in Warwick, Eng. who married a lady named Elizabeth. Thomas arrived in Plymouth, Mass. a few years after the Mayflower. He moved to Newport, Rhode Island, and later to Warwick, RI and lived there the remainder of his life. The family stayed in the Rhode Island, Mass. area until after the American Rev. After the war of independence, they began to spread out. Mel’s family moved to Albany, New York, the next generation to Pennsylvania, the next generation to Nebraska. I knew a branch of the family had gone to Wisconsin, Minn. and South Dakota, but had never connected them to anyone I knew before now. I just wanted to share this with you.

Bonnie was a dear friend and I will always remember her as being an important part of my life.

8 of GRANDPA ASA'S KIDS

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Asa's Funeral (1942)

All but Richard "Pete" (serving in the Pacific (1st picture)) and Wally who died the year before:

Back row: Asa Jr, Ward, John "Jack"

Front: Margaret, Grace, "Sue", Bernice, Donnabelle

PICS OF GRANDPA ASA'S 1st 4 CHILDREN

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Top pic: 1942 Asa and first 3 daughters-Bernice, Grace and Margaret (in back row) (other man is Grandma Mabel's 2nd husband?) Child is Wally's daughter, Connie Jean. Wally had died in Nov '41. Asa would die in Oct '42.

Grandma Mabel had divorced Asa (Mr. Stafford) and married Mr. Safford.

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Next pic:

1st son- Waldon

"Wally"

high school graduation

STAFFORD FAMILY WEB PAGE HOT LINKS

Here is the hot link to my Stafford family web page:
http://cvanhorn.homestead.com/StaffordFamily.html

(My email has been changed to CVanHorn@pacbell.net which is different from what you'll see if you go to the hot link above.)

Here is the hot link to my Stafford cousins blog: http://staffordcousins.blogspot.com/
(This is the one you are looking at now.)

Here is the hot link to cousin Judy's web site: http://www.deblieck.com/
Path to my cousins in hot link above: Family history/Stafford/John Stafford/Descendants/Walden Marvin/Wallace Leroy/Asa Marvin

DARYLE AND GLORIANN AND GRANDKIDS

---------------------------First picture:

Austin Rudolph, grade 5 (Gordon's son)

Group picture taken Christmas Eve 2005:

Daryle and Gloriann Rudolph and

Penny and Chris' kids: Jack Micco, grade 4; Natalie Mico, grade 1;

Dixie and Kurt's kids: Luke Weidner, grade 7; Jillian Weidner, grade 3

CHILDREN OF ASA STAFFORD

GRANDPA ASA AND GRANDMA MABEL

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If you are related to Asa Marvin Stafford born in 1879 (my grandfather), please contact me (Connie Stafford Van Horn) at CVanHorn@pacbell.net
The following information about Asa and his children was provided by cousin Judy.

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I have added the names of my aunt's and uncle's children, but I may have made mistakes. Help me out if you can.

Asa Marvin STAFFORD and Descendants

Asa Marvin STAFFORD was born in Aug 1879 in Sand Lake, Burnett Co, WI. He died on 30 Oct 1942 in Pierre, SD.

Asa married Mabel Beryle Inez WILLIAMS on 27 Sep 1902 in Marshall, Lyon, MN. The marriage ended in divorce. Mabel was born on 5 Mar 1885. She died on 12 Oct 1946 in Tracy, MN. She was buried in Tracy, MN. (She divorced Mr. Stafford and married a Mr. Safford!)

They had the following 10 children:

1 F Bernice Beryle STAFFORD was born on 4 Oct 1903. She died on 14 Feb 1947.
Bernice married Herbert John in 1921.
(Comment from Connie-Bernice's children: Jeanette-died in infancy, Warren, Dale (died 4/21/2004), Beverly, Wayne, Eugene, and Daryle (died 9/26/2008), )

(Dale's children: Sandra, Gary, Lori, Jay, Susan)

(Beverly's children: Linda, Kraig, Kent, Steven)

(Wayne's children: Warren, Pamela)

(Daryle's children: Dixie, Penny, Gordon and Vann)

2 F Margaret Ann STAFFORD was born on 19 Nov 1905. She died on 19 Jan 1963 in San Jose or Sunnyvale, CA.
Margaret married William (Bill).

(Child: Bill )

3 F Grace Emma Pearl STAFFORD was born on 19 Mar 1908. She died in Nov 1949 in New Richland, MN.
Grace married Carl. (Info from Wayne Rudolph- 2nd husband was Ray.)
(Daughters: Jean and Margery)

4 F Donnabell Ethel STAFFORD was born in Apr 1910.
Donnabell married Fred.

(Child: Marilyn)

5 M Waldon Warren STAFFORD was born on 29 Mar 1912 in Tracy, Lyon, MN. He died on 13 Nov 1941 in Watertown, SD. The cause of death was Ruptured appendix. (Comment from Connie Jean: my mother told me that the day he was supposed to come home from the hospital for the healed ruptured appendix, he got meningitis and died 3 days later. I remember being by myself for those 3 days, but I imagine the lady downstairs was really watching over me. I'd given away my cat so daddy could recuperate at home.)
Waldon married Corinne Gertrude HEATHCOTE in Dec 1933 in Huron, SD.
They had one daughter Corinne Jean born on Feb 21, 1935 in Pierre, SD.

(Connie Jean had 2 sons: Peter Stafford Van Horn, born 5/22/1964 and Christopher William Van Horn, born 8/10/1965)

(Peter is not married. Chris has 3 daughters: Louise, born 4/15/1990 and twins Sarah and Rebecca, born 9/7/2001))

6 M Ward Grenard STAFFORD was born on 8 Jun 1914. He died in Jan 1983 in Peever, Roberts, SD.
Ward married (1) Dorothy Mae on 20 Dec 1941 in Tacoma, WA. The marriage ended in divorce.
Ward married (2) Thelma Lorraine on 15 Sep 1945.

(Children: Asa Jr, Sandy, Madalyn, Dixie, Walden? I need help with this information.)

7 M Asa Marvin Jr. "Ace" STAFFORD was born on 16 Jan 1916. He died on 13 Dec 1977.
Asa married Myrtle Irene. Myrtle was born on 16 Apr 1920. She died on 17 Nov 1997.

(Child: Gene)

8 F Mabel Inez "Sue" STAFFORD was born on 5 Dec 1918 in Waseca, MN. She died in Sep 1976.
Mabel married Rush. Rush died in Jun 1984.

(Children: Penny, Beverly)

9 M Richard Wesley "Pete" STAFFORD was born on 18 Nov 1920 in Waseca County, MN. He died on 1 Nov 1958 in Lovelock, NV. He was buried in Fort Snelling Cemetery, Mpls, MN.

(Children: Judy, Pat, Steve, Rick, baby I need help.)

10 M John Charles "Jack" STAFFORD was born on 1 Oct 1922 in Pierre, Hughes, SD. He died on 10 Mar 1962 in Whittier, Los Angeles, CA. The cause of death was massive heart attack. John married Emma Ruth on 17 Oct 1947 in Los Angeles, CA. Emma died on 26 Dec 1996.

(Children: John, Bill, Chuck)

DAUGHTER OF WALLY STAFFORD

Corinne Jean (Connie) Stafford Van Horn

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daughter of Wally Stafford

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(72nd birthday on Feb 21, 2007)

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Link to my web page:

http://cvanhorn.homestead.com/

NEED PICS OF STAFFORD COUSINS

Please send me a picture of yourself and/or family (with the names) that I can upload to this blog.