Person:William Orrell (4)

William was a blacksmith by trade. His Grandaughter, Orrell Blaine told me that he was partners with a Mr. Jones in the wagon business manufacturing conestoga wagons in St. Louis (The Jones and Orrell Wagon company.) I have not been able to confirm this.

From: History of Tazewell County

                                                                     Delevan Town

In 1858 the village of Delevan was incorporated, but opposition to the movement was so strong that the Trustees elected did not qualify, and the incorporation seems to have fallen through. It was organized Oct., 2, 1865, when it was voted to establish the corporation to inlcude the old town proper, and its platted additions. The following were the first officials: Clerk; J.C. Appleton, Stephen C Hebert, Wm. B Orrell.....

From: Tazewell County Atlas

Name: Orrell, Wm B Residence: Delevan Business: Blacksmith Nativity: Augusta Co. Va. When came to County: 1840

At 65 years of age William went to live with his Daughter Kate in National City.

1880 United States Federal Census

Name: William B Orell Home in 1880: Pleasant Valley, Pawnee, Kansas Age: 50 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1830 Birthplace: Virginia Relation to Head of House: Self Father's Birthplace: Virginia Mother's Birthplace: Virginia Occupation: Farmer Marital Status: Widower Race: White Gender: Male

Household Members: William B Orell 50 Fannie Orell 20 Frank Orell 16 Elizabeth Orell 13 Kate Orell 10 May Orell 2 Fred Jennings 21 Ida B Jennings 18

Source Citation: Year: «i»1880;«/i» Census Place: «i»Pleasant Valley, Pawnee, Kansas«/i»; Roll: «i»T9_392; «/i»Family History Film: «i»1254392«/i»; Page: «i»32.4000;«/i» Enumeration District: «i»366;«/i» Image: «i»0718.«/i»

1900 United States Federal Census

Name: William B Orrill Home in 1900: San Diego, Ward 1, San Diego, California Age: 71 Birth Date: Jan 1829 birthplace: Virginia Race: White Gender: Male Relationship to Head of House: Father-in-law Father's Birthplace: Virginia Mother's Birthplace: Virginia Marital Status: Widowed Residence: San Diego City, San Diego, California

Household Members: Fred M Jennings 39 Ida B Jennings 38 Oprill J Jennings 20 Bell Jennings 17 Frank N Jennings 14 Edward R Jennings 11 Lulu Jennings 7 Susan Jennings 4 William Jennings 1 William B Orrill 71

Source Citation: Year: «i»1900;«/i» Census Place: «i»San Diego Ward 1, San Diego, California«/i»; Roll: «i»T623_99«/i»; page: «i»2A«/i»; Enumeration District: «i»189.«/i»

1910 United States Federal Census

Name: William B. Orrell Age in 1910: 80 Estimated Birth Year: abt. 1830 Birthplace: Virginia Relation to Head of House: Father-in-Law Father's Birthplace: Virginia Mother's Birthplace: Virginia Home in 1910: San Diego Ward 1, San Diego, California Marital Status: Widowed Race: White Gender: Male

Household Members: Frederick M Jennings 51 Ida B Jennings 48 Luella Jennings 17 Sue Jennings 14 William H Jennings 11 Helen I Jennings 3 William B Orrell 80

1920 United States Federal Census

Name: William Orrell Home in 1920: National City, San Diego, California Age: 92 years Estimated Birth Year: abt 1828 [1830] Brithplace: Virginia Relation to Head of House: Father Father's Birthplace: Virginia Mother's Birthplace: Germany [actually Virginia] Marital Status: Widow Race: White Sex: Male Able to Read: yes Able to Write: yes Image: 883

Household Members: Frank Orrell 55 Jennie Orrell 55 William B Orrell 28 Helen D Orrell 13 William Orrell 92

WHAT I KNOW OF GRANDFATHER ORRELL'S BACKGROUND AND FAMILY

A Letter to her sister Rose Orrell

BY: Helen Marr Orrell/Reed, daughter of Frank Orrell and granddaughter of William Bedford Orrell. Edited by Phillip Gibbs, son of Janice Blaine and great grandson of William Bedford Orrell. Editor's notes are in bold and brackets.

When Grandpa was 85 years old he was «u»very sick«/u» with pneumonia and Aunt Kate [Kate Orrell born 13 Sep 1870] came down from San Jose to see him. I was also home sick with asthma, but one day when I was better and Grandpa was able to sit up in a chair, I went upstairs to see him. Aunt Kate ask him to tell her about his family and this is what I remember of what he told her. I wrote this to Betty and ask her to pass it on to you Rose, but in case she didn't I'll write it to you. You may know as much as I do, but anyway this is what he told to Aunt Kate and me.

Grandpa's father was born in England [Mathew Orrell, William's father was born in Virginia 1808] And the family name was Correll but his father dropped the "C" from his name [Census reports show that Mathew spelled the last name as Orrell] He settled in Kentucky, married and had Wm Bedford (Grandpa), Mary, two younger boys whose names I never knew [Mathew's children were Elizabeth Ann, Wm. Bedford, Mary Jane, Adaline, John, James, Henry, and Alonzo]. So as far as I know that was all the children. I do not know what Grandfather Orrell's name was [Mathew] or just where they lived in Kentucky or where he died [Mathew died in Tazewell County, IL. Ca 1858], but I am under the impression that Grandpa was the oldest child [He was the second child] (he might have been----illegible------The Bedford might have been from where he lived in England) [note in margin]. It was possibly from Bedford County, Virginia.

2.

Mama said they had several children and talked differently (possibly Southern accent).  His sister may have been the oldest, I'm not sure.

Anyway Grandpa helped his Mother after his Father's death and learned the blacksmith trade. Grandpa never talked about his brothers. Mother said they were wild and a great source of worry to her. [His brothers, John and Henry, were members of the Berry Gang in Tazewell county, IL. They were burglars. John was an escape artist, there wasn't a jail that could hold him]

Great Grandmother Orrell [Anna Huffer Orrell] remarried and her name was Hill. Mr. Hill was a Christian Minister. They lived near the Orrell's in Delevan [Illinois]. Mama said nearly every day after school they stopped by her house on the was home from school. She and Aunt Fan [Fannie Douglas Orrell Blaine born 4 Oct 1860] dearly loved her.

Before Grandpa moved the family to Kansas the Hills sold their home and moved to San Jose, Calif. Shortly after, Grandpa and my Father's Uncle, Henry Pratt and his family went to Kansas and took up government land they cornered. They took an immigrant car which held both families and their belongings and moved to Kansas together.

Aunt Fan, Mother, Uncle Frank, Aunt Lizzie and Aunt Kate and Anna (twins) were born in Delevan-Aunt May in Kansas-Little Anna died at 18 months of either scarlet fever or diphtheria. Real pretty cemetery and nice stone for baby Anna.

3

In Delevan Grandpa had a large blacksmith shop. He was always able to handle and shoe the most visious [sic] of horses. He also made all sorts of metal tools finally enlarged his shop until he had several forges. He took a pardner [sic] in and together they had quite a tool business. The partner whose first name was Billy last name Webb I think made wood handles for plows and tools. Also made wagon beds and wheels. They had a long building with a runway at one side where they could run wagons, buggies, etc. off to the ground. This Billy did marvelous scrolls by hand. Painted the trim and his and Grandpa's names on the wagons [there was a Conestoga wagon manufacturer by the name of Jones & Orrell. Perhaps Billy's last name was Jones]. When Mama was in Delevan, on her trip back there, one of Father's second cousins took her to see a plow that Grandpa had made and the original scroll and names still legible. Wagons were also in use, they said and with -----illegible-----.

One reason they wanted to move was Grandpa's health. He had exema [sic] from working over the hot metal they thought. «u»I'll «/u»bet he was also allergic to horse dander.

4.

----(Lakeside or Julian) [California] with us also when he'd tramp over the hills that were brushy or full of dried grass on Point Loma.

When he first came to live with us he went into the chicken business on the lower part of the first house (they built on ten acres) in the canyon on Point Loma. When they moved into town where I was born, he also had chickens and then also when they moved to Ramona. Mother used to have to poultice his hand, legs and face and keep him in bed the exema was so bad. After they persuaded him to sell his chickens he was really never real bad with it. But Lula nearly always stayed to look after him when we went to Julian because the brush grasses etc were bad for him.

Anyway to go back to Illinois the winters were bad for him also. He'd work over the hot forge then go out into the extreme cold. Mama said lots of people were excited about going to Kansas. Uncle Henry Pratt and Grandpa made a trip out there; then chose their land, and started the houses being built, and then came back and sold out their homes and Grandpa his part of the business to his partner.

5.

They (both families) decided to wait till the houses in Kansas were built and also until school was out.  The Pratts had one daughter somewhere around Aunt Fan's and Mama's age.

The Orrells sold their house and rented a little acreage and a house out in the country a little way. The kids for the first time were in a country school. Went to spelling bees, sleigh riding had a wonderful time. Aunt Fan and Mama rode horse back to Delevan, as they were in what we would call a high school. Mama was in the tenth grade. I think Aunt Fan was also. I think they started at the same time.

The trip to Kansas was a real experience for them. They were flooded in Kansas City and had to wait for the river to go down before they could go on to Larned [Kansas]. Aunt Fan, Mama and Sarah Pratt had a wonderful time exploring Kansas City.

The houses were not finished and they boarded in Larned. As the "new girls" they had a fine time. Went to church and hay riding etc. Sad to say it didn't last very long for there was lots to be done on the ranch----illegible---.

6.

---about "little Frank" working so hard with Grandpa who was a demanding taskmaster.

Aunt Fan and Mama learned to make bread, biscuits, and cook generally and wash and iron. They all had to work to do but as their mother's time neared she taught them both to really run the house. After her death it was a good thing she had. Grandpa wore white shirts with starched tucked fronts and starched----, and, with everything else to do he demanded that they be done «u»just«/u» «u»right«/u», or they had them to do over.

Mother said when their underwear was wearing out Grandpa got muslin and cut out panties, etc., for them to make. But he cut them like mens are cut and the little girls all were uncomfortable. Aunt Sarah Pratt came to the rescue and showed the girls how to put the pieces in back to give them room and smoothed their lives in many ways. Mama was married two weeks before she was seventeen, when my Dad came to visit Aunt Sarah & Uncle Henry Pratt. They stayed on with Grandpa and Papa---illegible---.

7.

When Aunt Mae [Mary Eva (Marie) born 1 September 1877] things seemed all right at first.  But in a few days Grandmother was feverish.  At sundown on the tenth day she died.  She'd ask Mama to play something on the piano for her, and when Mama, or Aunt Fan, went in to her again she was gone.

Grandmother's sister Sarah Green and her family (husband and two sons) had also moved near Larned. She persuaded Grandpa to let her take Aunt Mae. However when Aunt Fan and Mama saw her in Larned with Aunt Mae, going into stores and Aunt Mae sleeping «u»very«/u» «u»soundly «/u» they questioned Aunt Sarah and she said she'd given her a few drops of paragioric [sp] so she'd sleep. The girls persuaded Grandpa to bring her back home. Their «u»Mother«/u» «u»had«/u» «u»told«/u» «u»them«/u» «u»she«/u» «u»wanted«/u» «u»them«/u» «u»to«/u» «u»keep«/u» «u»the«/u» «u»baby«/u» «u»if«/u» «u»anything«/u» «u»should«/u» «u»happe«/u»n «u»to«/u» «u»her«/u». She had also prepared them to take over as well as it was possible.

This was of course a very hard time for the Orrell family. There was still sod to break, no money coming in. So Grandpa opened a little blacksmith shop on the farm. He earned what he could and worked on the land. Supervised the girls and the house and I'm sure it was a hard and lonely time for him as well as all of the family.

8.

Grandpa was never very tolerant, and when he was angry he terrified my Mother.  She felt he demanded too much from Uncle Frank, and finally when he was about fourteen he sent him out on his own.  Mother always cried about seeing him walk away down the lane to the road.  I don't know if he ever did live at home after that.  He did stay with my Mother and Father in Garfield where Belle [Belle Jennings Benchley] and my brother Frank were born, until he and Aunt Jennie were married.  Mama and Frank were very close when they were growing up I think.  I remember when your family were moving to California; Aunt Mae kept talking about my "brother" coming.  Finally Mama said "«u»Mae«/u» «u»he's«/u» «u»my«/u» «u»brother«/u», «u»Fan's«/u», «u»Lizzie's«/u», and «u»Kate's«/u» «u»too"«/u».  As their only brother I think he was special to them «u»all«/u» probably.

After my Mother and Father were married two weeks before my Mother was seventeen they stayed with Grandpa on the farm. My Dad helped getting the sod all broken and worked with Grandpa on the farm until Dot was fourteen (two years later) months old. Then his people in Ohio wrote and asked him to bring Mama and the baby and come back to go to ----illegible---.

9.

---but finally agreed.  They were there for several months.  Belle was on the way.  The girls at home wrote Mama that Grandpa was going with a widow with five (I think) children and they felt he was going to marry her.  They were unhappy about it.  Mother decided she was going home.  Dad wouldn't let her go alone so through his parents tried to get them to stay.  They went back to Kansas.  Aunt Fan and Uncle Joe [Blaine married 13 August 1881 in Delevan, IL].  Aunt Lizzie ran away at 16 and married Uncle Tom.  Mae was a little past four and Kate 10 ½ so they did need help, for sure.  Grandpa had been opposed to Aunt Lizzie's marriage, so they were at outs.

My Mother felt very strongly about Grandpa marrying this widow. She persuaded him not to do it. Many years later, she and Grandpa were talking and he told her, it was because of her interference that he was a lonely old man living in his daughter's home. When he could have married and had companionship. It was «u»true, «/u»Mother said, and she told him she was sorry if she'd been wrong. It was mostly because of Mae and Kate I think she so disapproved of the marriage.

10.

Mother always regretted the fact that after so many years with us Grandpa had to go to Aunt Mae's.  One time when she was talking to me about it, I said "Mother, do you realize I was the cause of it?"  You had moved to a rented house in Kensington Park to see if I'd be better back from the coast.  Then when I didn't improve and was still very sick in bed, they decided to try the lakeside ranch.  The house we live in was the one they built for Frank and Winnie, and had only two bedrooms.  So aside from no room they knew Grandpa would be apt to have exema.  I felt so bad that she was grieving about Grandpa after all the years that had passed.  I told her about how bad I felt.  But I also felt it her duty to me was as great as it was to Grandpa.  Especially when he did have other children to go to.  «u»I«/u» «u»had«/u» «u»no«/u» «u»other«/u» «u»parents«/u».  I still feel very sorry that it was my health (or lack of it) that hurt her so about Grandpa.  She especially appreciated Uncle Frank and Aunt Jennie taking him into their home, for all of the children she felt Frank had the hardest time.  After---illegible---.
11.

I'm sure you know that Grandpa moved to San Jose with Kate and Mae to be near his Mother [Anna Huffer Orrell Hill born 30 July 1808] who was well on in years.  Kate was not able to manage Mae very well so Grandpa sent her home to Mama.  This went fine until Grandpa also came after Kate married Archie MacChesney.  Then with divided authority it was again hard for Aunt Mae so she went to Kansas to Aunt Fan.  There she met and married Uncle Al [Addis].  I've always admired Aunt Mae's good life as a wife, mother and member of society, when she had so many odds against her from her birth.  All of the Orrell family were «u»good«/u» «u»people«/u», so all of their hard knocks didn't get them down.

I do wish I had retained more of what Grandpa used to tell me. When Bill and I were very small he used to tell us stories about his life, his friends, and times in general, by the hour. I tagged him around like a shadow. He called me "his little chestnut head". He was really partial to Bill though, and he had quite an influence on his life I think. I truly think he did his best---illegible---.

12.

Until I was grown we moved doll furniture he's made me from place to place.  A doll bed, a cradle, table and chairs.  When my folks bought a house in Redlands hoping I'd be free of asthma there.  I went to bed the day we moved in.  I know now it was from dust in the furnace.  Then too all the grasses were going into heads and full of pollen.  They brought me back into the valley here the day after Easter.  But when they sold the house Mama gave my furniture to the little girl whose parents bought it.  I've always wished she'd just saved the cradle.

I feel Grandpa enriched my life and gave me an understanding of older people. The last time I saw him was at your house where Frank (my husband) and I took our six months old Danny to see him. He was home alone sitting in the wicker chair by the front window. I can see him yet in my mind. He was gone the spring before Jimmy arrived in May [William Bedford Orrell died 7 February, 1925].

This doesn't give you much I know but it is what I remember of what Mother and Grandpa told me of Grandmother Orrell.

I.

Mary Ann Montgomery [Wm. Bedford Orrell's wife] was born on a ranch not far from Petersburg, Illinois [27 April 1842].  Just how many children I do not know.  Four sisters and two or three brothers but I do know there were five girls [six girls, one boy].

When she was about two years old her father died, leaving her Mother with a young baby. The boys were young, so nice neighbors helped out. One family who were named Hill had been fond of the little Mary Ann, who was a mischievous, full of go and vigor sort of a baby. They persuaded her Mother to let them take her until things smoothed out for her Mother somewhat, and the new baby was older. They had one child, a daughter whose name was also Mary Ann, so they called our grandmother Molly.

They were near enough so the mother and family were in touch and the Hills moved farther away, but as great grandmother Montgomery was still having a hard time they persuaded her to let them keep "molly". They were always in touch and brought her often to her real family. But to the Hills she was almost like their own child. Their own daughter grew up and they were going to move and begged to be allowed to again take Grandmother with them. This time her Mother refused and she returned home. She was still a tease and full of life and when she completed the country school which was pretty haphazard at best her Mother let her go to Petersburg. Where her three older sisters, Lou, Kate and Sarah were living together, and were the leading dressmakers, to go on to school.

Mother used to tell us of the pranks she played on the three proper sisters. She really must have been a winsome child and---illegible---.

IV.

I figured they were about 8 & 9 ½ when Kate and Anna were born.  This was a big event in their lives.  The girls were old enough to be disturbed by the goings on and the bustling about downstairs, finally slipped down to get a drink or some pretext, found two babies by the kitchen stove in a big rocking chair.  Aunt Fan took Aunt Kate and Mama Anna, and they were as delighted with two babies so they each could have one.  They always helped with the one they found and claimed the first night.

When little Anna was about 18 months old she became ill with «u»Scarlet«/u» «u»Fever«/u» or Diphtheria one, I think the former. She died in three days. Mother and Grandpa both told me about how her death grieved the family. Little Kate would hunt for her, and she missed her so it was hard for all of them.

Grandpa & Mama both told me of our Grandmother's strength of character. After Frank was born she insisted that Grandpa needed to change his ways. He was in the habit of dropping by the saloon on his way home. He was quick tempered---illegible---.

Grandmother decided that a little son needed a very different example from his Father. She tried to talk to him but he felt he was head of the house and would live his life as he chose. So she quietly put the house in order, packed up her three little children and went to her Mother's. She left a letter for Grandpa, ask him to see the Methodist Minister for advice (he didn't go to church at that time) told him she could not rear a little boy as they were then living. She wanted to come back but would not until her conditions were met.

Grandpa said he was angry and resentful, really belligerent is the «u»word«/u». He'd live as he pleased etc. but as time went on, he came home to an empty house. He finally did seek out the minister, as she'd ask, and became a convert. After that as long as they lived where they could go to church---illegible---.

VI.

-----great part of their life.  All the social life entered of these days entered mainly through the churches.

Grandmother was thirty five when Mae was born. So she must have been quite young when she married. Grandpa was a good bit older than she. So I think she must have been a person to really admire.

Aunt Sarah Green's sons Charlie and George brought so much pleasure to the Orrell children after their Mother died. They were musical and brought new music and fun into their lives. Charlie moved to Los Angeles and I remember was a little girl how we loved to have him come visit us. I think my Dad was a little jealous of my Mother's affection for him. His wife Toni and son Kenneth also visited us.

Charlie always played pranks. He was real tall, one time he rented a small donkey and came astride, but walking up the canyon at Point Loma. Mother said it was so funny. I wasn't born then. He also knew that Mama's marriage license had been destroyed, and one time he called her and said he was some sort of investigator for the government and she'd have to furnish proof of her marriage---illegible---.

VII.

This was typical of Charlie Green.

Grandpa always said Aunt Sarah Green was "giddy". After they wouldn't let her have Mae, she sort of left them alone I think.

This is about all I know. I would like to know so many other things. Like where Grandmother Orrell is buried, Larned, Kansas I suppose. If her sisters Lou and Kate had children, her brother's names and baby sister's name. I wish I could have known her!

Ps. Grandpa came to live with us when he was 65 years old. Before Lula was born. Lived with us for twenty six years. Used to play the violin or fiddle for Bill and me. No "rest home" then. I feel it was a good and normal way of life, too.

California State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics Standard Death Certificate

Full Name: William B Orrell

Personal and Statistical Particulars

Husband of: Mary Orrell Widower Date of Birth: January 11, 1830 Age: 95 years, 27 Days Birthplace: Virginia Name of Father: (?) Orrell Birthplace of Father: Not Known Mother's Name: Not Known Birthplace of Mother: Not Known Length of Residence at Place of Death: 8 years In California: 39 years The Above is True to the Best of My Knowledge: Mrs. Fannie Blaine Medical Certificate of Death:

Date of Death: February 7th 1925 The Cause of Death: Influenza Place of Burial: Greenwood Cemetery Date of Burial: Feb. 9th, 1925

1. ↑ Standard Certificate of Death.