Geographic anchor for the Holt family, Gale Fulghum's maternal line. The Holt family farmed in Richland Township from the 1880s onward. Gale's mother Sybil Dora Holt was born here in 1900. Gale and Bob lived with their great-uncle John William Holt and great-aunt Clara Kennedy Holt from 1926 to 1928. The Orrill family (Clinton Woodward Orrill, Sybil's first husband) was also from Wilmot.
Geographic Anchors
Richland Township (near Wilmot and Atlanta)
- Family: Holt
- Person: John William "Will" Holt (b. ~1865, d. 10 Feb 1938)
- Person: Clara Effie Kennedy Holt (b. 15 Nov 1869, d. 13 Apr 1953)
- Person: Eliphaz Holt (b. 23 Oct 1824, Hawkins County, TN; d. 21 Dec 1897)
- Context: The Holt farm was a quarter-section (160 acres) in Richland Township, four miles west, one mile south, and half a mile west of Atlanta, KS. The farm remained in the Holt family for 105 years. Wilmot was a nearby hamlet of about 85 residents with no paved roads.
Wilmot Cemetery
- Burials: John W. Holt, Clara E. Kennedy Holt, Eliphaz Holt, and numerous other Holt family members (Calvin, Aubrey, Daniel, Emberson, Leroy, William, and spouses).
- Source: ksgenweb.org/KSCowley/cemetery/Wilmot/
Migration Pattern
The Holt family migrated from Tennessee through Indiana to Kansas:
Timeline:
- 1824: Eliphaz Holt born in Hawkins County, Tennessee
- ~1840: Julia Ann Miller born in Daviess County, Indiana
- ~1860s: Holt family moves from Indiana to Kansas
- ~1865: John William Holt born in Indiana (before family's Kansas move, or during transition)
- 1880: Eliphaz Holt household in Richland, Cowley County, KS (1880 Census). Family includes Julia (wife), John William (stepson, age 15), and others.
- 1889: John William marries Clara Effie Kennedy (20 Oct 1889)
- 1891-1912: John William and Clara have 12 children
- 1897: Eliphaz Holt dies
- 1901: Julia Ann Miller Holt dies
- 1926-1928: Gale and Bob Fulghum live on Holt farm as foster children
- 1938: John William Holt dies (buried Wilmot Cemetery)
- 1953: Clara Effie Kennedy Holt dies (buried Wilmot Cemetery)
Genetic Signal
(Awaiting DNA data. The Holts ARE biological ancestors: Sybil Dora Holt was Gale's mother, making the Holt line a direct maternal line. DNA should show Holt/Copeland ancestry.)
Connected Persons
| Person | Connection | Dates | Vault Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eliphaz Holt | Patriarch, farmer | 1824-1897 | |
| Julia Ann Miller Holt | Wife of Eliphaz | 1840-1901 | |
| John William Holt | Foster grandfather of Gale | ~1865-1938 | |
| Clara Effie Kennedy Holt | Foster grandmother of Gale | 1869-1953 | |
| Alexander B. Kennedy | Father of Clara | Unknown | |
| Rachael Kennedy | Mother of Clara | Unknown | |
| Noah_Caswell_Holt | Brother of John William; Gale's maternal grandfather | 1869-1935 | WikiTree Holt-14739 |
| Dora L. Copeland Holt | Wife of Noah; from Jefferson, TN | 1872-1940 | WikiTree Holt-14739 |
| Sybil_Dora_Holt_Fulghum | Daughter of Noah; born in Wilmot; Gale's mother | 1900-1989 | WikiTree Holt-14739 |
| Vada Emily Holt Langton | Daughter of Noah; Gale's aunt | b. 1905 | WikiTree Holt-14739 |
| Clinton_Woodward_Orrill | Born in Wilmot; married Sybil 1920 | b. 1900-1903 | WikiTree Holt-14739 |
| Gale_Fulghum | Lived with great-uncle/aunt 1926-1928 | 1926-1928 | |
| Bob Fulghum | Lived with great-uncle/aunt 1926-1928 | 1926-1928 | |
| Cora Belle Holt Stephens | Half-sister of John William | 1873-1958 | WikiTree Holt-11387 |
Key Research Resources
- Cowley County Heritage Book (ksgenweb.org): Published county history with Holt family entry.
- Wilmot Cemetery records (ksgenweb.org): Complete burial listing with dates.
- WikiTree: Cora Belle Holt Stephens profile (Holt-11387) with family connections.
- Kansas Historical Society: Census records, vital records.
Open Questions
What was the connection between the Holt family and the Orille/Fulghum family?RESOLVED: Sybil was a Holt; the caregivers were her uncle and aunt.- Who were Alexander B. Kennedy and Rachael Kennedy (Clara's parents)? Only names known; no dates or origins.
- What was Julia Ann Miller's first husband's surname? John William Holt was her son from a prior marriage, but his surname "Holt" matches Eliphaz (stepfather), not an earlier husband.
- What was Noah Caswell Holt's exact relationship to John William Holt? Both listed as sons of Julia Ann Miller; were they full brothers, half-brothers, or was one a stepson?
- Who were the Orrill family in Wilmot? Clinton was born here; his parents (including "Fern Orrill"?) may be in local records.