This pair of Woodmen of the World markers offer a chance to untangle some Bosque County family lines. At first glance, it seems that these two markers are for a father and son. Further research prives that the two markers belong to I[saac] L. Royal and his nephew W[illiam] R[ansom] Royal, son of Isaac's older brother Richard W. Royal.
This is where it gets to be like a bowl of spaghetti: Both Richard Royal and Isaac Royal are sons of William Ransom Royal (1825-1914) who came to Texas with his brother Wilson Young Royal (1827-1919) around 1895. Source: (
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This William Ransom Royal's obituary reads as follows: (
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From the Meridian Tribune, Friday 13 May 1904:
"Mr. W. R. Royal, living near Meridian, died Wednesday afternoon, May 11, 1904, at 4 o'clock, after an illness of several weeks, ages 76 years and 4 days. Everything was done to prolong his life, but that dread disease, dropsy, prevailed and proved fatal.
Funeral services were held in the Methodist church, Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock, and interment in Meridian Cemetery, Rev. W. B. Jones, of Iredell, conducted the services.
The Tribune joins the many friends of the bereaved family in extending sympathy and condolence." [end]
William Ransom Royal (1825-1904), his son Isaac (1867-1914), and his grandson W. R. Royal (1891-1918) are all buried in Meridian Cemetery. Because Isaac and Willam Ransom Royal's tombstones are next to one another, and because the dates show that they are from successive generations, it is natural to assume that they are father and son. Further research shows that this is incorrect -- they are uncle and nephew.
From Rootsweb, somes an excellent article on this confusing family. (
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Author: Jerome Tew and Linda Simpson
WILLIAM RANSOM ROYAL
b. May 5, 1825 in Dooly County, Georgia and died 11 May
1904 in Bosque Co. Texas. Buried at Meridian Cemetery, Meridian, Bosque County, Texas.
William Ransom and wife Mary Martha Jenkins had 13 children and 10 lived to marry and those 10 children had 83 grand children. Martha was born 25 Jul 1829 in SC and died 22 Mar 1905 at home just east of Iredell in Bosque Co. TX.
. . . .
1860 US Census Talapoosa Co. AL:
William R Ryals GA 32
Mary Ryals SC 13-children-8-living 31
1.Elizabeth Ryals GA 8
2.William Ryals GA 7
3.Martha Ann Ryals GA 5
4.Sarah Ryals AL 4
5.Lucy A Ryals AL 2
In the 1870 census, William Ransom Royal is not found, but his brother Wilson Riles was in Upson Co. GA
1880 US Census St. Clair Co. AL
William Royal GA-NC-GA 52
Mary Royal SC-SC-SC 51
Nettie Royal 1863-AL 17
Barnie Royal 1861-AL 19
Ida F. Royal 1865- GA 15
Isaac Royal 1868-GA 12
Louvina Royal 1870 GA 10
1900 US census Hamilton Co. TX
William R Royal GA NC GA 72
Mary E F Royal SC SC SC 70
Ollie P Beavers AL AL AL GD 16
William Ransom Royal moved to Hamilton Co. TX circa 1895 and most of Wm Ransom Royal's family also moved to TX (near Waco) and settled in Bosque and Hamilton Co. Texas.
WILLIAM RANSOM ROYAL issue:
6. Richard Willis Barnie Royal was born 6 Jul 1861 in Tallapoosa Co. Al. He married 6 Sep 1883 in St. Clair Co. AL Sarah Martha Sally Beavers. They had 14 children and 13 are listed in the 1900, 1910, and 1920 census for Bosque Co. TX. Son William Ransom Royal was born 28 Aug 1891 and survived the 1892 winter flu epidemic, but died on 17 Oct 1917 of flu. Richard named one son Thomas Barnie Royal who was born 13 Feb 1903. Richard Barnie died 10 Dec 1949 and wife Martha died 18 May 1939.
9. Isaac L. Royal was born 24 Aug 1867, likely in Upson Co. GA. He married 1890 Emiline Henson in St. Clair Co. AL. They lived in Hamilton Co. TX in 1900 and Emiline?s brother George Henson lived with them. There were no children and Isaac L. Royal moved to McClain, OK after the death of his parents. He is listed as dying 12 May 1914." [end]
So now we know that the waymarked Isaac L. Royal and William Ransom Royal are related as uncle and nephew.
Records about the waymarked William Ransom Royal are pretty fragmentary. All we could find were the mention in the article above and a snippet from a family group sheet on a singletons website (for disconnected fragments of family trees): (
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"W[illiam] R[ansom] Royal was born in St. Clair County AL on 28 Aug 1891 and died in Bosque Co. TX on 17 Oct 1918.
He married Connie Melissa Robertson on 24 Dec 1912 in Bosque County TX. They had two daughters. W. R. Royal died in on 17 Oct 1918. Four years later on 22 Jan 1922, Connie married Mark Ernest Thierichen, also in Bosque Co. TX. They had two more children."
It is most likely that Isaac died in Oklahoma and was brought home for burial.
We know that his nephew William Ransom Royal died in Bosque County.
The ornately scripted tombstone for Isaac L. Royal reads as follows:
I. L. Royal
born Aug 24, 1867
died Mar 12, 1914
Weep not, he is at rest.
William Ransom Royal's adjacent tombstone reads as follows:
W. R. Royal
Aug. 28, 1891
Oct. 17, 1918
No pain, no grief
No anxious fear
Can reach our
Loved one sleeping here