Family/Spouse: Sue Boone. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Gregory Blann

Melvin + Anna Adelia Matthews. Anna (daughter of Solomon Matthews and Anna Dorothea Menck) was born in 1882; died in 1972. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

[Johannes Becker Desc.FTW]

Anna Adelia MATTHEWS (1882-197) of Maryland), Gregory Blann's grandmother (Gregor y Blann's info)

Anna (MATTHEWS) BLANN "used to tell a story recounted by her mother, Annie MENCK, how as a li ttle girl during the War between the States, she (Annie MENCK) and her mother (Magdalene (CRA VER) MENCK) used to travel from Virginia to Trappe, Maryland to visit relatives and smuggle b ack contraband (under the dress, etc.) to the Confederates in Virginia. Though Maryland wa s neutral, there were Southern sympathizers in Trappe who would teach young Annie to root fo r 9Southern leaders) General Beauregard and Jefferson Davis. Once they returned to Virginia , and a Union officer (who was a firend of the family) went through the formality of making t hem swear Union allegence upon return, and little Annie piped up and exclaimed 'I root for Bo neygard (sic) and Jeff Davis" Fortunately, the officer overlooked the indiscretion and sen t them on through, content with the wry observation that children tend to repeat what the gro wn-ups around them have been saying. (Gregory Blann's info)

Solomon + Anna Dorothea Menck. Anna (daughter of Johann Menck and Magdalene Craver) died in 1931. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

[Johannes Becker Desc.FTW]

Anna Dorothea MENCK (1855-1931 of Maryland), Gregory Blann's great-grandmother ...
Annie was of German descent on her father's side (Johann MENCK) and Dutch (Palatine) on her m other's side (Anne Weatherwax, her grandmother). She had nine chikdren and went blind durin g the middle of her life. She was skilled at basket-weaving, knitting, and fashioning multi- colored rugs. (Gregory Blann's info)

Note: The German Palatines were often referred to as "Dutch" since many of them migrated fro m Germany through Holland and/or England on their wat to Americ a (Gary Craver memo)

Notes:

[Johannes Becker Desc.FTW]

Johann MENCK was a German immigrant from Saxony (b. 1802; parents unknown). Johann married C atherine CRAVER, who died childless soon thereafter. He subsequently married her sister, Mag dalene CRAVER. Little further information is known on Johann or his German parents , excep t for Anna M. BLANN's report that Johann came over from Germany in the early part of the nine teenth century, where he was a journeyman apprentice. A John MENCK appears in the 1850 Virgi nia census (but not 1840 or 1860), matching the time during which the CRAVERs were statione d in Virginia City. LDS onlinr records the marriage of Johann H. MENCK and Madeline CRAVER a s occurring on June 2, 1849 at the Concordia Lutheran Church in Washington, DC. Finally th e 1880 Talbot Co., MD Census shows the couple in the Trappe/Easton area and shows Johann (Joh n) MENCK as born in Saxony (Germany) in 180 2 (Gregory Blann's info)

Johann + Magdalene Craver. Magdalene (daughter of Zacharius Craver and Anne Weatherwax) was born in 1832 in NY Or VA; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

[Johannes Becker Desc.FTW]

Magdalene's brother, Jefferson Lawrence CRAVER, gave her a bone-like button which had been ca rved with an inscription or initials (one for each of his sisters) while he was in a Union pr ison during the Civil War. He also gave her a book of Polish History in which she wrote tw o original poems the year before her marriage. The book which still survives (1999), is in scribed "the property of Mary Magdalene Craver, given to her by her brother, Jefferson Lawren ce Craver, July 2nd 1848"(?). The poems are as follows:

REFLECTION
See how beneath the moon beam's smile;
Yon little billow heaves its breast.
And foams and sparkles for a while;
And morning then subsides to rest.
Thus man the sport of bliss and care;
Rises on time's eventful sea.
And having swelled a moment there;
Then melts into eternity.

SABBATH
Sweetly blow the gentle breezes;
On the Sabbath morn.
Religious pleasure calmly seizes;
On the sinner, poor, forlorn.
Tis now while barefoot mid the flowers;
Humming hymns of praise.
Earth refreshed by gentle showers;
Tis the happiest of all days.
Raise your thought to God above;
Frankly to Him pray.
Full of faith and full of love;
How blest the Sabbath day . (Gregory Blann's info)