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The Fothergills
FOTHERGILL FAMILY TREES ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Descendants of Alfred Coles Fothergill
From Taylorville, Illinois to the orchards of Washington's Cascade foothills & beyond - the story of several families journeies to better their lives)
PROLOGUE
Many of us recall having ties to Taylorville, Illinois. Fothergill is the name that is oft repeated. Who were these people? Where did they come from? Where did their children go? Some still have vivid childhood memories of Illinois in the 1920's and most of us have heard the warm stories of the Fothergill families and their descendants. Though we may now have surnames like: Curtis, Lee, Smith, Whitsell, Jackson, Fowler, Cleppe, and Mccready-not to mention the youngest of cousins- we all have a story or two about the Taylorville Fothergills. It is our sincere hope to save for our younger cousins stories from this sweet and vivid time.
The purpose of this endeavor is to illuminate the history of Alfred Coles Fothergill's family by looking into the past - we're headed for England- and most importantly to trace his descendents and connect with all our contemporary cousins before it is too late. That is the carrot before this horse!
It is most ironic that I, Donald J Cleppe, should be compiling a family history. A confirmed bachelor, I have no children and yet like most individuals I am curious to know of my origins! I was clueless until I received a notice of a cousin doing genealogy on the Cleppe(s). This was June 1999. Well, the Cleppe(s) have had at least three compilations done on them and I was fascinated that former family historians had traced them back to Belgium in 1500's! But that is just one line. If one looks at their grandparents, your surname is but one of four lines. Think of the possible history that lies beyond? So while the one cousin in Florida worked again on the Cleppe(s), I began work on the Smiths, Fothergills, Burkes and Whipples. This fortunately and quickly lead to cousin Becky (Fothergill) Fowler in Idaho and her extensive work on our favorite branch of the family. Like a snowball a simple inquiry has grown to this present endeavor. Now we correspond with lots of family I did not even know existed three years ago, and what a fascinating journey that has been.
Whether you are curious to know from which countries our people came from or want to know if any of us are eligible to join the DAR or SAR - incidentally we are! - or how so and so is related to you know who - I hope you will find this compilation interesting, if not down right thought provoking. I need to extend special thank you(s) to the following relatives: Aunt "Mimi" Smith, Aunt Patty Smith who lead me to cousin Becky Fowler and her decades of family sleuthing! Also, I am indebted to my Uncle Bill Smith, Jackie Freeman and her brother & sister-inlaw. Jerry & Pat Oseland, Cynthia Oseland LeMons, Uncle Douglas Cleppe, and a big hug and thank you to my dad's cousin, Leroy Donald Cleppe and his lovely wife, Marlene for their tender patience, guidance and love. A special mention must be made of Darlene Hamilton of the Seattle Public Library Genealogy Department for gentle guidance and sharing of knowledge with an eager, unprepared greenhorn! Thank you all!
Donald John Cleppe- February 18, 2001
Dedication
This compilation ofFothergill Family History is warmly dedicated to all our cousins and especially to the following three vivid personalities from my life: Pearl (Fothergill) Smith, my hilarious, iron-willed and loving grandmother. Sara (Smith) Cleppe, my most unconventional and optimistic Mother.
And though we found each other later in life, cousin Becky (Fothergill) Fowler, with whom I share the need to know the past and have a good time!