Cyrus (Sires) Family of VA, WV, OH, & MI

 

                                                                                                

Generation 1

                                                                                                

1.         JOHN (THE ELDER) SIRES. He was born Abt. 1700 [1]. Occupation 1740 (Farmer) [1].He married Mary Unknown [1]. He died 1779 in Fauquier County, VA [1].

                                               

Notes for John (The Elder) Sires:

There are no known records of where John (The Elder) was born or what country his ancestors came from. However, the Sires name is well known in England and since most early American settlers came from England, it is reasonable to conclude he had an English origin. Family legend claims an Irish origin with the prefix of O' being dropped so they might assimilate into the American culture more easily. However, there was no documentation found to verify an Irish lineage.

 

The earliest reference of John (The Elder) was a land grant record for 639 A. in Prince William County, Virginia....18 Nov 1740. The next reference was a voting record for the election of burgesses in 1741, Prince William County. There were other references in the Prince William County Order Book in 1742 and several in 1755. Additionally, there is a record from 1755 of John (The Elder) leasing 150 acres of land to his sons for the sum of 3 shillings a year. The lease was a lifetime lease for the lives of John and James Sr., and his son, James Jr.  Apparently, this was the way John (The Elder) chose to provide for his sons and grandson without actually turning over ownership of the land.

                                   

JOHN (THE ELDER) SIRES & MARY UNKNOWN. They had 3 children.

                                                          

i.          JOHN SIRES [1]. He was born Bef. 1730 in VA [1].

                                                                                                           

ii.         JAMES SIRES. He was born Abt. 1730 [1]. He married Alice (Alcy) Unknown. They were married Abt. 1745 [2]. Occupation 1755 in Farmer [1]. He died Bef. 1781 in VA [1].

                                                                                   

iii.         MARY SIRES. She was born Aft. 1730 [1].

 

                                                                                                

                                                                                                

Generation 2

                                                                                                

2.         JAMES SIRES. (John (The Elder) Sires-1). He was born Abt. 1730 [1]. He married Alice (Alcy) Unknown Abt. 1745 [2]. Occupation 1755 (Farmer) [1]. He died Bef. 1781 in VA [1].

                                               

Notes for James Sires:

Just as with John (The Elder), the exact date of birth and birth place for James is unknown. In his early years he lived in VA where all of his children were born. Later in his life, he lived in NC.  In 1778, the NC Land Grant Office awarded James Sires Sr. a piece of property located along the Mayo River in what is now the extreme Northwestern quadrant of Rockingham County. From the land transaction records and tax records, it is also known that Alice (Alcy), James's wife, owned and sold several pieces of land in Surry County and Stokes County, NC.

 

Virginia Court records show James Sires Sr. was often in court, being sued for bad debts, and may have been moving in and out of the area for some time (Julie Benston's records). The connection to VA where his family of origin lived and his land holdings in NC may account for James' moving in and out of VA.

                                                          

ALICE (ALCY) UNKNOWN. She was born Bef. 1730 [1]. She died 1796 in Stokes County, NC [1].

                                                                                                

JAMES SIRES & ALICE (ALCY) UNKNOWN. They had 5 children.

                                   

i.          JOHN SIRES. He was born Abt. 1745 in VA [1].

                                                                                                           

ii.         JAMES SIRES, JR.. He was born Abt. 1755 in VA [1].

                                                                                                           

iii.         ENICH SIRES. He was born Abt. 1757 in VA [1].

                                                                                                           

iv.        JESSE SIRES. He was born Aft. 1759 in VA [1]. He married Frances Smith. They were married Abt. 1778 in Rochingham or Stokes County, NC [1]. Military service Bet. 1781–1782 (Pvt. with the NC State Troops in the American Revolutionary War) [3, 4]. He died on July 10, 1810 in Cabell County, VA [1].

                                                           

v.         ALEXANDER SIRES. He was born Aft. 1760 in VA [1].

 

                                                                                                

                                                                                                

Generation 3

                                                                                                

3.         JESSE SIRES. (James Sires-2, John (The Elder) Sires-1). He was born Aft. 1759 in VA [1]. He married Frances Smith Abt. 1778 in Rochingham or Stokes County, NC [1]. Military service Bet. 1781–1782 (Pvt. with the NC State Troops in the American Revolutionary War) [3, 4]. He died on July 10, 1810 in Cabell County, VA [1].

                                                           

Notes for Jesse Sires:

Jesse was born in VA and raised in VA & NC. He married Frances in NC and his children were also born in NC.

 

Jesse volunteered in the American Revolutionary War. He enlisted as a Pvt. with the NC State Troops on June 1, 1781 and was discharged on June 1, 1782. North Carolina Certificate #89920 was issued to Jesse upon his discharge (DAR Patriot Index, 1966, p. 172).

 

Jesse appears in Stokes County, NC land tax records from 1791 to 1803. In 1806, Jesse and his family led a small band of pioneers from Stokes County, NC to Cabell County, VA, which was wilderness at the time. They traveled by ox-drawn covered wagons and probably walked most of the way to help lighten the load on trails. They lived out their years there and were buried on the farm they established on Price's Creek, about three miles from the Big Sandy River, presently known as White's Creek (The Cyrus Family, KYOWVA Genealogical Society Newsletter, Vol. 15, No. 4, Winter, 1992, p. 20).

 

Jesse is the Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandfather of Billy Ray Cyrus, who was the one-hit wonder of "Achy Breaky Heart" in 1992, television star of "Doc" starting in 2001 on PAX TV, and presently, co-stars with his daughter, Miley Cyrus, on the TV show, "Hannah Montana".  So, my family members are very distant cousins to Billy Ray Cyrus.

                                                                                                           

FRANCES SMITH is the daughter of John Smith. She was born Abt. 1757 in NC [1]. She died Abt. 1821 in Cabell County, VA [1].

                                                                                                           

JESSE SIRES & FRANCES SMITH. They had 6 children.

                                                          

i.          PHOEBE CYRUS. She was born Abt. 1779 in Stokes County, NC [1].

                                                                                                

ii.         ABRAHAM CYRUS. He was born on February 16, 1781 in Stokes County, NC [5]. Occupation 1860 (Farmer) [6]. He died on August 4, 1860 in White Creek, Wayne County, VA [5]. Burial in Cyrus Cemetery, White Creek, Wayne County, VA [5].

                                                           

iii.         THOMAS CYRUS. He was born December 1781 in Stokes County, NC [1].

                                                                                             

iv.        WILLIAM CYRUS. He was born on April 2, 1794 in Stokes County, NC [7].

                                                                                             

v.         SMITH CYRUS. He was born Abt. 1800 in Stokes County, NC [8, 9, 10, 1]. He married Reca Caine. They were married Abt. 1825 in Cabell County, VA [1]. Occupation 1860 (Farmer)[11]. He died November 1873 in Wayne County, WV [1].

                                                           

vi.        HENDERSON CYRUS. He was born Aft. 1800 [1].

 

                                                                                                

                                                                                                

Generation 4

                                                                                                

4.         SMITH CYRUS. (Jesse Sires-3, James Sires-2, John (The Elder) Sires-1). He was born Abt. 1800 in Stokes County, NC [8, 9, 10, 1]. He married Reca Caine Abt. 1825 in Cabell County, VA [1]. Occupation 1860 (Farmer) [11]. He died November 1873 in Wayne County, WV [1].

                                               

Notes for Smith Cyrus:

Smith and his siblings changed the spelling of their surnames from Sires to Cyrus.

 

"THE CYRUS FAMILY, Abraham, Thomas, William and Smith Cyrus, came to what is now Wayne County, West Virginia, about 1806. They came from North Carolina. They were Democrats in politics and Baptist in religion. They were hard-working, energetic men, and obtained a competency of this world's good, and were useful citizens." (From "Big Sandy Valley, History of the People and country from the Earliest Settlement to the Present Time," by William Ely. Originally published 1887, Catlettsburg, Kentucky. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing County, Baltimore, 1969)

 

In about 1821, Smith inherited his parents' homestead in Cabell County, VA. His pioneering parents, Jesse and Frances, were buried on the place. (Note: In 1842, the homestead was annexed into Wayne County, VA, which was newly formed from Cabell County. During the Civil War in 1863, the homestead became part of WV when WV established its statehood by breaking off from VA.)

 

The 1860 census listed 6 young grandchildren living in the Smith Cyrus household. There were 3 kids (Frances, Elthira, and Henry Smith) who were children of Smith's deceased son, Albert. The other 3 kids (William, John, and James) were probably illegitimate children of his daughter, Elizabeth (Cyrus Notes, Marshall University Library). In the 1870 census, Henry Smith (Albert's son), James (Elizabeth's son), and Richard (Emily's son) were living with Smith.

 

In the 1860 census, when Smith was 59 years old, his real estate listed a value of $2500 and his personal estate listed at $800. Accounting for inflation, that makes his total worth equivalent to $59,400 in year 2000 currency. That may be underestimated because land values have risen higher than inflation. The U.S. didn't have Social Security back then, so this would be just adequate enough to sustain his family, including his grandchildren whom he raised during his retirement years.

                                                                                             

RECA CAINE. She was born 1806 in Pike County, KY [8, 11, 10, 1].

                                                                                                

SMITH CYRUS & RECA CAINE. They had 11 children.

                                                          

i.        EMILY CYRUS. She was born Abt. 1823 in Cabell County, VA [1].

                                                          

ii.       ALBERT CYRUS. He was born Abt. 1825 in VA [8, 1]. He married Martha A. Daniels. They were married 1844 [1]. He died Aft. 1850 [8, 1].

                                   

iii.       ARRENA CYRUS. She was born Abt. 1827 in Wayne County, VA [1].

                                                                                             

iv.      ENOCH CYRUS. He was born Abt. 1828 in VA [1].

                                                          

v.       MARSHALL CYRUS. He was born on June 16, 1828 in Cabell County, VA [1].

                       

vi.      ELIZABETH CYRUS. She was born March 1835 in Cabell County, VA [8, 12, 13, 14].

                                                          

vii.      PHOEBE CYRUS. She was born Abt. 1836 in Cabell County, VA [8].

                                                          

viii.     MARGARET JANE CYRUS. She was born Abt. 1837 in Cabell County, VA [8]. She married William Rutherford. They were married Abt. 1853 [15].

                                               

ix.      SMITH CYRUS, JR.. He was born Abt. 1839 in Wayne County, VA [8].

                                                                                                

Notes for Smith Cyrus, Jr.:

On October 9, 1860, in Wayne Co., VA, Smith Jr. murdered his brother-in-law, William Rutherford. They got into a fight after an election and Smith Jr. stabbed William with a knife. The event was reported in the Ceredo Crescent Newspaper about a week later, saying that Smith had galloped away on his horse and had not yet been found. It is unknown if Smith Jr. was ever apprehended and tried for the murder. He seems to disappear from Wayne Co. records after the murder, except that he was named in the will of Smith Cyrus, Sr. in 1874. (John Mahey, GenForum.com, March 7, 2005)

                                                                                             

x.         RECY CYRUS. She was born 1840 in Cabell County, VA [8].

                                                                                    

xi.        JESSE CYRUS. He was born on January 2, 1844 in Butler Dist., Wayne County, WV [8].

 

                                   

                                                                                                

Generation 5

                                                                                                

5.         EMILY CYRUS. (Smith Cyrus-4, Jesse Sires-3, James Sires-2, John (The Elder) Sires-1). She was born Abt. 1823 in Cabell County, VA [1].

 

            EMILY CYRUS had 1 child.

 

i.        RICHAED CYRUS.  He was born Abt. 1867 in WV.

         

                                                                                             

6.         ALBERT CYRUS. (Smith Cyrus-4, Jesse Sires-3, James Sires-2, John (The Elder) Sires-1). He was born Abt. 1825 in VA [8, 1]. He married Martha A. Daniels in 1844 [1]. He died Aft. 1850 [8, 1].

 

Notes for Albert Cyrus:

General Notes: Albert was listed in the 1850 census with his wife, Martha, and 5 children (Frances, Elthira, Mary J., Perry, and Henry S). In the 1860 census, Frances, Elthira, and Henry S. were living with their grandfather, Smith Cyrus. Albert, Martha, Mary J., and Perry are not listed in any 1860 censuses. Some genealogy records show Albert & Martha dying in 1850, Mary J. dying at 4 (1850), and Perry dying in infancy (1850). This suggests a conclusion that Albert, Martha, Mary J., and Perry met with some kind of calamity (such as a fire) or fatal illness in around 1850.

 

MARTHA A. DANIELS. She was born 1825 in MD [8, 1]. She died Aft. 1850 [8, 1].

 

 

ALBERT CYRUS & MARTHA A. DANIELS. They had 5 children.

                                   

i.          FRANCES ETTIE CYRUS. She was born on July 22, 1845 in Wayne County, VA [8, 16]. She died on April 29, 1926 in Oklahoma City, OK [1]. Burial in Greenlawn Cemetery, Springfield, Greene County, MO [1].

                                               

ii.         ELTHIRA H. CYRUS. She was born 1846 in Wayne County, VA [8, 16].

                                                                                                           

iii.         MARY J. CYRUS. She was born 1846 in Wayne County, VA [8]. She died Abt. 1850 in VA [1].

                                               

Notes for Mary J. Cyrus:

She died in childhood at age 4.

                                              

iv.        PERRY CYRUS. He was born 1849 in Wayne County, VA [8]. He died Aft. 1850 in VA [1].

                                                                                   

Notes for Perry Cyrus:

Perry may have died in his infancy.

                                                                                                           

v.         HENRY SMITH CYRUS. He was born on February 22, 1850 in Wayne County, VA [8, 16, 13, 17, 14, 1, 1]. He married Ellen Daniels. They were married on December 25, 1870 in Wayne County, WV [1]. Occupation 1880 in Farmer [18, 14]. He died on July 22, 1917 in Boyd County, KY [1].

 

                                   

                                                                                                

7.         ELIZABETH CYRUS. (Smith Cyrus-4, Jesse Sires-3, James Sires-2, John (The Elder) Sires-1). She was born March 1835 in Cabell County, VA [8, 12, 13, 14].

 

 

            ELIZABETH CYRUS had 3 children.

 

i.          WILLIAM CYRUS. He was born on 1856 in VA [9].

                                                                                                           

ii.         JOHN CYRUS. He was born 1858 in VA [9].

                                                                                               

iii.         JAMES CYRUS. He was born 1860 in Wayne County, VA [9]. He married Lucinda Ball in 1901 [20]. She was born 1876 in WV [20].

 

 

                                                                                                

Generation 6

                                                                                                

8.         HENRY SMITH CYRUS. (Albert Cyrus-5, Smith Cyrus-4, Jesse Sires-3, James Sires-2, John (The Elder) Sires-1). He was born on February 22, 1850 in Wayne County, VA [8, 16, 13, 17, 14, 1, 1]. He married Ellen Daniels on December 25, 1870 in Wayne County, WV [1]. Occupation 1880 (Farmer) [18, 14]. He died on July 22, 1917 in Boyd County, KY .

                                               

Notes for Henry Smith Cyrus:

Henry Smith Cyrus's parents died early in his life. His grandfather, Smith Cyrus, raised him. Henry S. was listed as one of the dependants in Smith's household in the 1860 and 1870 censuses.

 

The 1880 census list Henry and Ellen as having 5 children, and the 1900 census list 2 more children born after 1880. However, the 1900 census reports Henry and Ellen as only having had 4 children, all living. This suggests the adoptions of their first 3 children (Richard, Ulysses & Jeremiah) who were born before Henry and Ellen were married. Further support for this theory comes from present day descendants of Ulysses reporting stories of Ulysses being adopted by the Cyrus family and his birth surname being "Fuller". However, Cyrus family genealogist, John Mahey (mahey@aol.com), believes Ulysses was the natural child of Henry & Ellen Cyrus (communication with John in 1999).

 

Henry's granddaughter, Viva, recalled memories of Henry doing pickup and deliveries from the White Creek Post Office and General Store in his express buggy wagon in the early 1900s.

 

Henry grew up living next door to Mary Ellen Staley (1860 & 1870 census). Interestingly, Mary Ellen's daughter, Grace Estelle Ealem, married Henry's son, Ulysses Cyrus.

                       

ELLEN DANIELS is the daughter of William Daniels & Martha Ward. She was born September 1846 in Wayne County, VA [9, 18, 14, 1]. She died Aft. 1900 in Wayne County, WV [1].

 

Photos of Henry & Ellen are viewable on My Family Home Page.

                                                                                               

HENRY SMITH CYRUS & ELLEN DANIELS. They had 7 children.

           

i.          RICHARD CYRUS. He was born Abt. 1868 in Wayne County, WV [18].

                                                                                    

ii.         ULYSSES CYRUS. He was born on January 30, 1869 in Wayne County, WV [17, 19, 20, 21]. He married Grace Estelle Ealem. They were married on August 25, 1887 in Wayne County, WV [22]. He died on August 25, 1962 in Boyd County, KY [27]. Burial on August 29, 1962 in Cyrus Cemetery, Durban Creek, Boyd County, KY [1].

                                                                                                           

iii.         JEREMIAH CYRUS. He was born Abt. 1871 in Wayne County, WV [17].

                                                                                                           

iv.        ALBERT CYRUS. He was born November 1871 in Wayne County, WV [1, 28, 29]. He married Mary Emma Booth. They were married on July 8, 1892 in Wayne County, WV [1]. Occupation 1900 (Farmer) [30].

                                                                                                                       

v.         ELVA CYRUS. She was born Abt. 1876 in Wayne County, WV [1]. She died on April 26, 1895 in Wayne County, WV [1].

                                                                                                                       

vi.        AUTHUR CYRUS. He was born January 1883 in Wayne County, WV [14]. Occupation 1900 in Farm Laborer [14]. He died on March 9, 1953 in Wayne County, WV [1].

                                                                                                                       

vii.        ROSCOE CYRUS. He was born on August 30, 1887 in Wayne County, WV [14, 23, 1]. He married Lillian Virginia Malcolm. They were married on January 2, 1910 in Wayne County, WV [1]. He died on January 19, 1965 in Wayne County, WV [1]. Burial on January 22, 1965 in Docks Creek Cemetery, Wayne County, WV [1].

                                   

                                                                       

                                                                                                

Generation 7

                                                                                                

9.         ULYSSES CYRUS. (Henry Smith Cyrus-6, Albert Cyrus-5, Smith Cyrus-4, Jesse Sires-3, James Sires-2, John (The Elder) Sires-1). He was born on January 30, 1869 in Wayne County, WV [17, 19, 20, 21]. He married Grace Estelle Ealem on August 25, 1887 in Wayne County, WV [22]. Occupation 1900 (Laborer in AK) [23]. Occupation (2) 1905 (Coal Miner in WV) [24]. He divorce Grace Abt. 1906 in Wayne County, WV [36]. Occupation (3) 1910 (Farmer in WV) [25, 26]. He died on August 25, 1962 in Boyd County, KY [27]. Burial on August 29, 1962 in Cyrus Cemetery, Durban Creek, Boyd County, KY [1].

                                                                                                           

Notes for Ulysses Cyrus:

Ulysses’s father may have adopted him. See notes on his father, Henry Smith Cyrus.

 

Shortly after marrying Grace and having his first child in WV, Ulysses moved to AR to find work. After about 5 years of working in AR and having 2 more children, he moved back to WV.

 

It appears that Ulysses had developed an addiction to alcohol and sex. Because of Ulysses’s bad behaviors, there were several marital separations and reconciliations. After partying one night, Ulysses was observed in the morning coming out of the local whorehouse by his daughter on her way to school. The whorehouse was a couple doors down from his family's home. Finally, after Grace and the kids experienced much hurt and embarrassment, Grace divorced him in 1906.

 

In the 1910 census, Ulysses was listed as living with his brother, Roscoe, his sister-in-law, Lillie, and his nephew, Downing.

 

Sometime in the 1930s, Ulysses visited his daughter, Viva, in MI.  Viva's children reported that their grandfather tried to show their mother how to discipline her kids, unfortunately in a harsh and abusive way. Viva ran him off.

                                   

GRACE ESTELLE EALEM is the daughter of John F. Ealem & Mary Ellen Staley. She was born on May 29, 1872 in Lawrence County, OH [31, 32, 33]. Occupation 1906 (Boarding House Manager in OH0 [24]. Occupation (2) 1910 (Hat Maker at her Millinery Shop in Portsmouth, OH) [34]. Occupation (3) Bet. 1920–1930 (Boarding House Manager in Detroit, Wayne County, MI) [31, 32]. She died on January 6, 1954 in Detroit, Wayne County, MI [34, 33]. Burial on January 9, 1954 in White Chapel Memorial Cemetery in Troy, MI [33].

 

Photos of Ulysses, Grace, and their children are viewable on my Family Home Page.

                                                                                                                                                                                               

ULYSSES CYRUS & GRACE ESTELLE EALEM. They had 3 children.

                                                                                   

i.          JENNIE CYRUS. She was born on August 18, 1888 in Wayne County, WV [24]. She died Abt. 1895 in Jonesboro, Craighead County, AR [24].

                                                                                                                       

Notes for Jennie Cyrus:

General Notes: Jennie Cyrus had died shortly after Viva was born. Jennie had taken ill and because Grace was so overwhelmed with caring for an infant (Viva), she neglected Jennie's illness, which may have contributed to her death.

                                                           

ii.         VIVA BERTHA CYRUS. She was born on September 14, 1895 in Jonesboro, Craighead County, AR [31, 32, 34, 33]. She married Edgar Bowman. They were married on March 21, 1918 in Catlettsburg, KY [34]. Occupation 1920 in Bookkeeper in Detroit, Wayne County, MI [31, 34]. She died on January 13, 1987 in Holly, Oakland County, MI [33, 5]. Burial on January 16, 1987 in Highland Township Cemetery, Oakland County, MI [33, 5].

                                                                                                           

iii.         BASIL PAUL CYRUS [37]. He was born on February 9, 1898 in Jonesboro, Craighead County, AR [37]. Military induction 1918 in WWI [37]. Occupation 1920 in Mechanic, Detroit, Wayne County, MI [31]. He died on September 16, 1961 in Detroit, Wayne County, MI [5, 34]. Burial on September 19, 1961 in White Chapel Memorial Cemetery in Troy, MI [5].

                       

                                                                                                                       

10.       ALBERT CYRUS-7 (Henry Smith Cyrus-6, Albert Cyrus-5, Smith Cyrus-4, Jesse Sires-3, James Sires-2, John (The Elder) Sires-1). He was born November 1871 in Wayne County, WV [1, 28, 29]. Occupation 1900 (Farmer) [30]. He married Mary Emma Booth on July 8, 1892 in Wayne County, WV [1]. He married Effie Smith on December 25, 1897 in Wayne County, WV [40, 41].

                                                                                                           

MARY EMMA BOOTH. She was born on June 23, 1875 in Wayne County, WV [1]. She died May 1894 in Wayne County, WV [1].

                                                                                                                                               

ALBERT CYRUS & MARY EMMA BOOTH. They had 1 child.

                                                                                                                                   

i.          HENRY CYRUS. He was born on January 6, 1893 [1].

                                                                                                           

Notes for Henry Cyrus:

In the 1900 census, Henry is listed as a nephew in Henry Smith's household.

                                               

EFFIE SMITH. She was born January 1876 in WV [38, 39].

                                                                                                                                               

ALBERT CYRUS & EFFIE SMITH. They had no children.

                                                           

                                                                                                

Generation 8

                                                                                                

11.       VIVA BERTHA CYRUS. (Ulysses Cyrus-7, Henry Smith Cyrus-6, Albert Cyrus-5, Smith Cyrus-4, Jesse Sires-3, James Sires-2, John (The Elder) Sires-1). She was born on September 14, 1895 in Jonesboro, Craighead County, AR [31, 32, 34, 33]. She married Edgar Bowman on March 21, 1918 in Catlettsburg, KY [34]. Occupation 1920 (Bookkeeper in Detroit, Wayne County, MI) [31, 34]. She died on January 13, 1987 in Holly, Oakland County, MI [33, 5]. Burial on January 16, 1987 in Highland Township Cemetery, Oakland County, MI [33, 5].

                                                                                                                                   

Notes for Viva Bertha Cyrus:

Viva's family of origin was from WV; however, they were living in AR when she was born because her father had moved the family so he could find work. A few years after her birth, the family moved back to WV where she was raised.

 

At 5 years old, Viva's family had running water for the first time.

 

Viva recollected living next door to the White Creek Post Office and general store in WV at age 7. She often observed Old Hatfield (of the Hatfield & McCoy feud) shopping at the general store. She also remembered her grandfather, Henry Smith Cyrus, doing pickup and deliveries in his express buggy wagon.

 

Viva recalled her parents separating for 3 months when she was 10 years old. Then they reconciled their differences and moved back together. A year later, they finally were divorced. The family moved to Portsmouth, OH to get a fresh start.

 

Viva had an estranged relationship with her father due to the divorce caused by his unfaithfulness to her mother. She had strong feelings of resentment and animosity towards him.

 

Shortly after marrying Edgar, they moved to Detroit, MI to find a good job for him in the auto industry. In the 1940s, Viva and Edgar purchased an 80-acre farm in which they resided on for the rest of their lives. The farmhouse had electricity; it was a first for Viva. Although there were some attempts at farming, it was never a serious endeavor. The farm was located at 6010 Fish Lake Rd., Holly, MI.

 

All Viva's children were born at home except Gerald. Because she was bedridden most of her difficult pregnancy with him, she did not want to risk an at-home delivery.

 

Viva insisted on planting vegetables, flowers, and bushes in the day following a full moon. She swore by the Farmer's Almanac.

                                                  

EDGAR BOWMAN is the son of William P. Bowman & Rachel Hannah Burke. He was born on March 28, 1893 in Firebrick, Lewis County, KY [33, 34, 14, 23, 31, 32, 42). He died on December 19, 1973 in Pontiac, Oakland County, MI [33, 34, 5, 44]. Burial on December 22, 1973 in Highland Township Cemetery, Oakland County, MI [33, 5, 45].

 

Photos of Viva & Edgar are viewable on My Family Home Page.  Also, photos of the Bowman children are viewable on My Family Home Page.

                                                           

EDGAR BOWMAN & VIVA BERTHA CYRUS. They had 8 children.

                                                                                                                       

i.          RUTH JEAN BOWMAN. She was born on October 8, 1920 in Detroit, Wayne County, MI [46, 34, 27, 5, 32]. She married Loren Frank Ellis Abt. 1945 [34]. She had a romantic relationship with Malcolm L. Pierce in 1951 [35]. She married Fletcher Robert Bruno on January 1, 1957 in IN [34]. She died on April 9, 1990 in Pontiac, Oakland County, MI [27, 5]. Burial on April 16, 1990 in Highland Township Cemetery, Oakland County, MI [5].

                                                                                                                       

ii.         VIRGINIA (JO) LEE BOWMAN. She was born on September 5, 1922 in Detroit, Wayne County, MI [46, 34, 27, 32]. She married John Crabtree Abt. 1940 [34]. She married Harold Dyer Abt. 1942 [34]. She married Robert Louis Urquhart in May 1960 [34]. She died on November 9, 1990 in Holly, Oakland County, MI [34, 5, 27]. Burial on November 12, 1990 in Highland Township Cemetery, Oakland County, MI [5].

                                                           

iii.         MARY ELLEN BOWMAN. She was born on October 4, 1923 in Detroit, Wayne County, MI [46, 34, 32]. She married Robert Timothy Crabtree. They were married on March 13, 1942 in Brighton, MI [34]. She died on October 27, 2005 in West Bloomfield, Oakland County, MI [47, 27]. Burial on November 1, 2005 in Oakland Hills Memorial Gardens, Novi, Oakland County, MI [47].

           

iv.        ROBERT EARL BOWMAN. He was born on October 16, 1925 in Detroit, Wayne County, MI [46, 34, 27, 32]. He married Patricia Dunn. They were married on May 25, 1946 [34]. Occupation 1965 (Trade Union Representative for Electricians) [34]. He died March 1980 in Chicago, Cook County, IL [27].

                                                                                   

v.         DONALD EDGAR BOWMAN, (SR.). He was born on August 25, 1927 in Detroit, Wayne County, MI [46, 34, 27, 33, 32]. Military service Abt. 1944 in Pacific Theatre during WWII [37]. Military discharge on July 13, 1946 in U.S. [37]. He married Alice Marie Bowhall. They were married on March 23, 1951 in Bryan, OH [34]. Occupation Abt. 1970 (Parts Distributor @ GM) [34]. He died on January 12, 1996 in Flint, MI [34, 27, 33]. Burial on January 15, 1996 in Rose Center Cemetery, Holly, MI [33].

                                                                                   

vi.        DOROTHY JUNE BOWMAN. Private. She married Charles Roy Swett.

                                                                                               

vii.        GERALD OSCAR BOWMAN. Private. He married Darlene June Best.

                                                                                   

viii.       MATILDA ANNA (TILLY) BOWMAN. She was born on September 15, 1936 in Commerce, MI [46, 34, 27]. She married Michael Lanny Carl Abt. 1956 in Holly, MI [34]. She married Gordon Tornow [34]. Occupation 1980 (Cancer Research Nurse @ U of M Hospital - LPN) [34]. She died on June 11, 1994 in Ann Arbor, MI [27].

                                                                                                                                                                                               

12.       BASIL PAUL CYRUS. (Ulysses Cyrus-7, Henry Smith Cyrus-6, Albert Cyrus-5, Smith Cyrus-4, Jesse Sires-3, James Sires-2, John (The Elder) Sires-1) [37]. He was born on February 9, 1898 in Jonesboro, Craighead County, AR [37]. Military induction 1918 in WWI [37]. Occupation 1920 in Mechanic, Detroit, Wayne County, MI [31]. He died on September 16, 1961 in Detroit, Wayne County, MI [5, 34]. Burial on September 19, 1961 in White Chapel Memorial Cemetery in Troy, MI [5].

                                                                                                                       

Notes for Basil Paul Cyrus:

A photo of Basil is viewable on My Family Home Page.

 

EMANDA (MANDY) UNKNOWN. She was born on October 3, 1896 in KY [34, 27]. She died on October 30, 1992 in FL [27].

                                                                                                                                   

BASIL PAUL CYRUS & EMANDA (MANDY) UNKNOWN. They had 2 children.

                                                                                   

i.          LORRAINE CYRUS. She was born 1916 in OH [31].  She married James Richardson [34]. 

                                                                       

ii.         PAUL E. CYRUS. He was born on November 9, 1918 in OH [5, 27, 31]. He married Marion Unknown [34, 5]. He died on August 24, 1978 in Wayne County, MI [5, 27]. Burial in White Chapel Memorial Cemetery in Troy, MI [5].

 

Notes on Marion Unknown:

She was born on September 4, 1923 [5]. She died on January 10, 1978 in Wayne County, MI [5]. Burial in White Chapel Memorial Cemetery in Troy, MI [5].

                                   

                                                                       

Go to my Family Home Page

                                                                                                

Sources

                                                                                                

1          John Mahey - Cyrus Genealogist.                                 

2          Based on the age of their first born.                                          

3          Roster of Soldiers from North Carolina in the Amercian Revolution, 560.                        

4          North Carolina State Records, Vol. 17, p. 251.                          

5          Cemetery Records & Tombstone.                                                                                 

6          1860 Census.                                                              

7          The Cyrus Family, KYOWVA Genealogical Society Newsletter, Vol. 15, No. 4, Winter, 1992.

8          1850 Census.                          

9          1860 Census.                                      

10        1870 Census.                                                                          

11        1860 Census.                                                                          

12        1860 Census. Smith Cyrus was the head of household.                                                 

13        1870 Census. Smith Cyrus was the head of household.                                     

14        1900 Census.                                      

15        LDS Family Search Web Site.                                      

16        1860 Census. Smith Cyrus was the head of household.                                     

17        1880 Census.                                                  

18        1880 Census.                                                  

19        1900 Census.                                                  

20        1910 Census.                                                  

21        SS# Death Index.                                                         

22        Marriage Record for Wayne County, WV.                                             

23        1910 Census.                                      

24        Tilly Bowman's notes from an interview with Viva Cyrus.                                               

25        1900 Census.                                                  

26        1910 Census.                                                  

27        SS# Death Index.                                                         

28        1900 Census.                                                  

29        1920 Census.                                      

30        1900 Census.                                      

31        1920 Census.                                                  

32        1930 Census.                          

33        Death Certificate.                                             

34        Tilly Bowman's Genealogy Records.                                                     

35        Martin Bruno, Genealogist.                                                       

36        Tilly Bowman's notes from an interview with Viva Cyrus.                                               

37        Military Records.                                             

38        1900 Census.                                      

39        1920 Census.                                      

40        John Mahey - Cyrus Genealogist.                                 

41        1900 Census.                                      

42        Funeral Program Pamphlet.                                          

43        1920 Census.                                      

44        Funeral Program Pamphlet.                                          

45        Funeral Program Pamphlet.                  

46        Viva Cyrus's Handwritten Autobiography.                                                          

47        Obituary.