Person:George Meffert (1)

In Germany early in 1751 George Conrad and Ann Magdalene Meffert boarded the ship "Brothers" and sailed to America. They took oaths of allegiance to the King of Great Britian. They settled in Pennsylvania, changing their surname to the current English spelling of Mefford. Their first child, George Conrad Mefford, was born on the voyage. In Pennsylvania, they had two more sons and one daughter. George Sr. and George Jr. were both gunsmiths during the American Revoltion. George Sr died in 1785 in Washington County, PA. George Jr. married Malinda Masters. They had thirteen children. George Jr. made a flatboat of cherry wood. In 1787 they came down the Ohio River to the District of Kentucky. They built Mefford's Fort near what is now Maysville, KY. George Jr. died in 1814 in Mason County, KY. George's son, Nathan, married Mary Tevis. They moved their family down the Ohio River to the Mississippi River, then north to Pike County, Missouri. Nathan died circa 1858 in Pike County. Nathan's oldest son, Noah, married Indiana Schofield (born in 1816) on 5 October 1830 in Marion County, MO (Missouri Marriages to 1850). Indiana was his first cousin; daughter of Ellis Schofield and Elizabeth Mefford (born in 1794), sister to Nathan Mefford. Between 1870-1880 Noah and Indiana with some of their children moved to Ozark County. Noah died on 17 December 1880. Indiana died on 22 December 1892. Both are buried at Isabella Cemetery. Their children who moved to Ozark County were: Mary Elizabeth and her husband, William Schofield; Martha A. (a deaf mute); Nancy J. (a deaf mute); and Francis Marion (27 January 1846-12 December 1920).

Francis Marion Mefford (27 January 1846-12 December 1920) was married twice. He married (1) Nancy Ann Anthony (1860-30 January 1888) on 6 March 1881. Nancy is buried at the Isabella Cemetery. In 1890 he married (2) Martha Isabella (Snelson) Harris. Francis is buried at the Pine Creek Cemetery.

Children of Francis Marion Mefford and Nancy Ann Anthony:

(1) Mary Ada Elizabeth Mefford (22 December 1881-9 Feburary 1964) married Thomas Smith on 3 July1899.

(2) George Russell Mefford (18 January 1884-August 1959) married Maggie "Lora" Rena James (29 November 1889-6 May 1975) on 20 February 1905 in Almartha, Ozark County, MO; daughter of Francis Marion "Frank" James (7 August 1871-17 September 1965) and Louisa Adeline "Lou" Snelson (11 April 1869-10 May 1917) who were married 5 September 1891 in Ozark County, MO. George was the only son of Francis Marion Mefford who had children of his own. George and Maggie resided on a farm near Almartha for about thirty years. George and Maggie had nine children (see list below). George and Maggie are buried at the Seymour Cemetery, Webster County, MO.

(3) Ida May Mefford (12 December 1887-13 September 1888).

Children of Francis Marion Mefford and Martha Isabella (Snelson) Harris:

(4) Cindia Indiana Mefford (19 November 1892-10 January 1893).

(5) Nancy Emily Mefford (25 March 1894-20 October 1981) married Claud "Orville" James (10 May 1892-31 January 1971) on 15 October 1911; son of Francis Marion "Frank" James (7 August 1871-17 September 1965) and Louisa Adeline" Lou" (11 April 1869-10 May 1917). Their children were: Eska, Hubert, Ray, Luceil, and Vernon.

(6) Nathaniel James Edgar Mefford (1 June 1897-15 May 1961).

(7) Lydie Ethel Mefford (born 1 June 1900) married (1) Charles Herbert Smith on 3 March 1917. She married (2) Frank Grimes on 24 April 1945.

Children of George Russell Mefford and Maggie Lora Rena:

1. Auda Ray Mefford (born 18 December 1905) married Olif Murphy Herndon (15 September 1907-29 September 1986) on 16 July 1925; one of eight children of Otis Alvin Herndon (6 January 1882-28 October 1963) and Martha Ellen Murphy (15 July 1885-19 March 1970) who were married on 9 August 1903 by J.H. Montgomery at the home of her parents. Olif and Auda resided in Loomis, CA.

2. Troy Herbert Mefford (1 February 1907-18 July 1989) married Mildred Oma Feemster (born 16 May 1914) on 14 June1931; daughter of John Samuel Feemster (26 November 1872-21 December 1952) and Lyddia Mae Piland (12 February 1880-25 December 1959).

3. Hadley Mefford (born 29 November 1908) married Maggie Belle Bushong on 1 June 1930. They resided at Reed Springs, MO.

4. Thurlow Mefford (born 26 Feb 1911) married (1) Irene Enlow. He married (2) Lucille Catherine Heuerman on 4 August 1940. They resided at Anaheim, CA;

5. Eulah Mefford (born 9 February 1914)--twin to Beulah. She married Ralph James Ferrell on 19 July 1931. Ralph was born 6 November 1908; one of tripletts (Edna, Edith, and Ralph) of Samuel Lafayette Ferrell (22 December 1871-6 December 1947)) and Dora Elizabeth Harvey (born 22 September 1881-10 October 1953) who were married on 6 February 1898. Sam and Dora had eleven children, two were stillborn and unnamed. Sometime in 1944 Sam and Dora Ferrell along with their son, Ralph and his wife, Eulah, moved three miles west of Seymour in Webster County, MO.

6. Beulah Mefford (9 February 1914-6 April 1968)--twin to Eulah. She married (1) Halston Bushong. She married (2) Shorty Lawton. She married (3) Roy Welfet.

7. Paul Mefford (born 22 February 1922)--twin to Pauline. married Wanese Handy on 30 January 1946. They reside in Sparta, MO.

8. Pauline Mefford (born 22 February 1922)--twin to Paul. She married (1) Joe Gwin Murphy. She married (2) Homer Orf Walker on 10 June 1940. They reside in Pittsburg, KS.

9. Edward Wayne Mefford (born 11 June 1924) married Florence "Flo" DeAlexander on 14 June 1950. They resided in Hesperia, CA.

Source: "A History of Ozark County, Missouri, 1841-1991, published by the Ozark County Historical and Genealogical Society, Gainesville, MO, 1991, pages 376-377, information submitted by Jack Ferrell.

Posted to Ancestry.com Ancestry World Tree Database 276693 on Individual I21430108 by Joyce Willhoit [email protected]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Ron Leake, Phyllis Huff et al. Extracted Research from numerous Mefford Researchers, Recipient: Greg Lamberson, Author: Phyllis Huff
   Database of Phyllis Huff from mytrees.com.
2.   Ron Leake, Phyllis Huff et al. Extracted Research from numerous Mefford Researchers, Recipient: Greg Lamberson, Author: Phyllis Huff
   Ancestry.com see note.