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|--Edward CURRELL
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(I believe Mary Sears was the sister of Thankful Sears Currell) (The MO census has Currell spelled Correll)
The May 1844, birthdate does not correlate with the age of Elizabeth stated in the 1850 census.
The above census would lead me to believe that Edward and his family left the Shawnee Mission sometime after May 1844, when Elizabeth was born, and before Jun 11850, which was the "effective date" of the 18 Oct 1850 census of Cass co.
Even if Elizabeth had been born an Indian, she was living with the Currell's in Cass co in 1850, and probably that is where she met Franklin Trekell of Cass co, whom she married in 1864.
On the idea that Elizabeth was the natural child of Edward Currell, I have attempted to learn more about Edward but with limited success. I think he was probably from one of the several Currell families of Lancaster co, VA. Since I can calculate his birthdate as about 1807 or 1808, form the age 42 that he stated in the 1850 Mo census, I can perhaps narrow down the list of possible families by spending furhter time with the VA cnesus records.
In 1939, the Kansas State Historical Society published the "Annals of the Shawnee Methodist Mission and Indian Manual labor School" to commemorate th 100-year anniversary ofhte erection of the first building on the site. This small, 120 page, volume was a condensation of the 460 pages of manuscript compiled by Miss Martha B Caldwell, a Staff Member of the society. In Sep 1990, after having re-read the Annals once again, I reviewed the final draft of the original manuscript which is on file at the society building in Topeka. While the Annals simply stated, "(1841) Spring - Edward Currell was employed by the manual labor school to teach the shoemaking trade at a salary of $350 a year", the manuscript had a bit more detail: pg 104 "The committee in the Indian M.L. school has agreed to employ Mr Currell shoemaker at $350 per year and bear his traveling expenses to the Institution; but if Mr Currell becomes dissatisfied and should leave the institution before the end of two years he must refund the money that he received for his expense. The committee will take his tool, lasts, etc. at their valuation and will also take his stock of leather that he may ahve on hand.
Mr Currell is requested to make his arrangements to reach the mission by the last of May.
pg 105 "Mr Edward Currell will go to the mission for 350 dollars per year and is to be htere by the last of May-- The amount of stock which he will have on ahnd:-- 24 calf skins at $39 per dozen-which is what they cost; 9 sides of horse leather at $32 per 1/2 dozen; 18 skin-linings $9.75 per dozen; 1/2 lb bristles $2.60; thread, web, springs not known how much. There will be a little sole and heavy leather, though but little.
Mr Currell thinks Baltimore is the best market for leather. He also thinks the Institution ought to furnish him with vegetables for the first year as he will not be on in time to make a garden. If he is not wanted by the last of May he wiches to be informed by letter immediately. There will be as many benches for shoe-making as there will be boys put to the trade and one for the boss.
A set of tools required for a shoemaker--A boot and shoe key; 2 gigs, a light and a heavy one; 3 shoulder irons of different sizes; 1 rawbreaker; 1 pair pincers, large size; 1 pair nippers; 12 awl handles; 12 pegging awls; 1 gross Altitan's assorted blades; 1 corset set; 2 knives; 1 hammer; 1 key for lady's shoes; 1 whet-stone; 1 gross steel tacks; 1 shoe rasp.
The manuscript also bears the following typewritten notes, presumably by Miss Caldwell: [From the memoranda book of Rev Jesse Greene--it is undated. Mrs Belle Greene who copied it states that it was written in blue ink, the exact shade of two items in his expense account to the general conference at baltimore which was held in 1840. these were the only two places in his record where he used blue ink. She thinks it could safely be placed in 1840.
Also from the report of John Luce in 1840, the school had not yet begun its manual labor program, but in 1841, thomas Johnson reports four pupils learning the shoe-makers trade. So I think this pretty well establishes the year]
While I have found no Shawnee Mission record concerning the marital status of Edward Currell, htere seems little doubt that he was the same Edward Currell who was living in Howard co, MO, in 1838 and who married a Thankful Sears in that county in May 1838. he is not listed on the 1840 census for MO. Possibly Edward, his wife Thankful and infant son, John C Currell, were on their way to the mission by the time of the census in 1840. One might even speculate that by 1840, Edward was a shoemaker in the northeastern Kansas Territory, such as Ft Leavenworth, where it would be possible he would be known to the Methodist missionaries of the mission, was recruited by them and bargained for reimbursement of his moving expenses because he had household furniture and a family. Of course he might also have been living more distant from the mission. The notes in Rev Greene's memorandum which I have quoted above, seem to imply that there had been one or more contacts with Mr Currell, whether by mail or in person, someplace away from the mission but learning more on this may be impossible. At this point, all I can do is conjecture from the limited information I have found.