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Madora Ellen “Dora” Harrison O'Neal

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Madora Ellen “Dora” Harrison O'Neal

Birth	:	4 Apr 1856
Death	:	7 Apr 1933
Burial	:	Pleasington Priory, Pleasington, Blackburn with Darwen Unitary Authority, England
Coordinate	:	53.7348590, -2.5433060
Description	:	Her mother passed away just before her 9th birthday while her father was still at war; soon after his return that summer, he remarried. When she was 16, the entire family moved to Kirwin, Phillips Co., Kansas along with a great many settlers from Dallas County Iowa, seeking better conditions in the new territory. Within a few short months she married 20-year old Henry Glenn Brenton (23Jan1873), using the name Mary M.E. Harrison - Brenton. They stayed (I'm told) in the first sod house, and there in December 1873 they had their first son, Thomas R.Z. The next year, however,... Read More	Her mother passed away just before her 9th birthday while her father was still at war; soon after his return that summer, he remarried. When she was 16, the entire family moved to Kirwin, Phillips Co., Kansas along with a great many settlers from Dallas County Iowa, seeking better conditions in the new territory. Within a few short months she married 20-year old Henry Glenn Brenton (23Jan1873), using the name Mary M.E. Harrison - Brenton. They stayed (I'm told) in the first sod house, and there in December 1873 they had their first son, Thomas R.Z. The next year, however, one of the worst locust hordes ever seen came through Kansas & Nebraska (Phillips County History), and most families abandoned their holdings and went home, as did Henry Glenn and Mary Brenton. Back in Iowa she had another son (William Glann 14May1875), and six daughters (Lillie May, May1877; "Gertrude" Lucia Gertrude, 27Aug1879; Bessie Bird, 17Apr1881; "Maude" Jennie Maude Amy, 1883; Hazel Mae, 12Nov1884; and Henriette 1886). Bessie died 17May1883, then Lillie on 1Jun1884. Henry Glenn Brenton, who had listed his occupation as "Ditcher" in census records, left the household in 1888 when "Dora" (as she was then known) ordered a copy of their marriage certificate. Here we'll follow Henry Glenn Brenton, who apparently skipped across the river to Lyons, Nebraska and remarried, fathering a daughter (Mayme, abt 1889) and son (Robert James 24Sep1892). By 1893 he and his wife had moved to Arizona where he parlayed ditch digging into mining. The mining camp was no place for women, and apparently his second wife tired of infrequent visits and rough life, left Henry, remarried, and by 1900 was living in southeastern Arizona. Meanwhile, Henry struck rich ore with a partner, and was the only family member to miss his father's funeral in 1902. He struck rich ore again with another partner, and in 1910 convinced his younger brother (a railroad brakeman) to join him. His brother fared poorly, however, and took his life with a strychnine overdose only 3 years later (16Dec1913). According to some research, Henry himself died only 3 years later (10Jul1916) after making a great deal of wealth in mining. Meanwhile "Dora" was having trouble of her own. Her eldest son passed on 28Nov1896, her second eldest, William Glenn, married (20May1896). William moved out, taking her youngest (Hazel Mae) to live with him, leaving her with only two teenage daughters (more than enough, I imagine!) About this time a civil war veteran and widower from Indiana, Lemuel O'Neal (b. 10Oct1840) finally saw the last of his four children leave the nest at which point he and Dora married (10/11 Nov1899). Daughter Henrietta died in 1911. Lemuel was a kind and gentle fellow with a good sense of humor. His great-grand-daughter Lorna, recalls coveting a porcelain dog statuette they kept on a mantle (from the St. Louis World Fair); when she tried to climb up and get it, he thwarted her, and then when his back was turned she grabbed a large piece of firewood to clobber him -- he caught her in time, and apparently got quite a chuckle from her attempt, and called her "spunky." The rest of that summer he took her with him in his wagon to the graveyard where he was apparently caretaker in his elder days. He passed on 15Oct1923. Dora remained in Minburn for the remainder of her days, with the exception of the summer of 1931 which she spent in Pasadena with her daughters Hazel and Gertrude and their families. In late 1932 she fell ill, and Hazel and her young son Bob went to spend the winter with her. As Bob recalls, they had a record-breaking snowstorm that winter. Both he and Lorna, however, recall Dora as an efficient but kind hard-working woman with an austere fashion sense. That illness must have persisted, since Dora passed on 7Apr1933. Contributor: Brenton Buxton

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Madora Ellen “Dora” Harrison O'Neal's memorial?
Madora Ellen “Dora” Harrison O'Neal's memorial is located at: Pleasington Priory, Pleasington, Blackburn with Darwen Unitary Authority, England.
When did Madora Ellen “Dora” Harrison O'Neal death?
Madora Ellen “Dora” Harrison O'Neal death on 7 Apr 1933 in
Where are the coordinates of the Madora Ellen “Dora” Harrison O'Neal's memorial?
Latitude: 53.7348590
Longitude: -2.5433060

Family Members:

Parent

Pvt Robert Allen Harrison

(1823 - 1898)

Mary Jane Davidson Harrison

(1829 - 1865)

Spouse

Lemuel O'Neal

(1840 - 1923)

Siblings

William Riley Harrison

(1847 - 1914)

James Arthur Harrison

(1859 - 1928)

Fannie Middleton Harrison

(1864 - 1945)

Robert Elmer Ellsworth Harrison

(1866 - 1932)

Children

Thomas R Z “Oz” Brenton

(1873 - 1896)

William Glenn Brenton

(1875 - 1947)

Flowers:

Dora O'Neal was born Madera E. Harrison, but called herself Mary. At age 16 she moved with her family to an ill-fated settlement in Kirwin Kansas for two years, where in 1873 she met and married Henry Glen Brenton (son of Thomas and Mary Ann), before returning after locusts and drought. She had eight children and buried four of them young. After being abandoned by her first husband she was lucky enough to find Lemuel O'Neal to help her care for her four teenagers. She lived in Dallas County for all but those two years, and in the same house the last 45 years. What a woman! Read less

Left by Anonymous on 08 Aug 2007

My great grand aunt Madora 'Dora' Ellen Harrison, dau. of Robert Allen Harrison and Mary Jane Davidson.

Left by Anonymous on 05 Oct 2013

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