Rachel's parents were Patrick Claburn Campbell and Nancy Starkey. Ex-spouse was Fred Capehart (1891-1973), only known child was Bessie E. Capehart (1903-1986).
Rachel was the sister of my grandmother, Vera Campbell Holt. After the funeral of her parents in about 1917, the family forced Rachel to take her kid brother Monroe (James Monroe Campbell) on. Rachel took Monroe and her girl child Bessie on the train but they all left the train at a rest stop in Texarkana. Rachel then took the children to an inn and left to get food. She never returned. Both children were sent to an orphanage. Later Monroe ran away and found his family. By 1920, Bessie left the orphanage and was living with her father Fred Capehart and his second wife.
As to Rachel it was assumed by many that she was then ill and died of the flu while out. Therefore she would be in some unmarked grave somewhere near Texarkana. However, this is unlikely. Rather it appears that Fred had left Rachel (and later remarried) and Rachel was too ashamed to tell the family. So Rachel (and Bessie) was living with her parents. When Rachel's parents die unexpectedly of the flu, the family forces her to take Monroe because they think Rachel is married and able to care for him. She cannot tell them the truth. Or, if she did, the situation does not change what they want Rachel to do. The three of them board a train and just before crossing to Texas, she becomes panic-stricken and leaves them with a kind lady at the inn in Texarkana. She then returned to the train intent on going as far as the train is going to California likely.
Later, Rachel sends word to her sister Vera, confidentially telling her where she is and what happened. In the 1930s, Vera travels to California, maybe to visit Rachel. But then Vera dies where on the bus or in a car (Rachel's?) there. There is the story of an anonymous woman who pays for Vera's burial and picks out a dress for Vera claiming it was Vera's favorite color.
This is base on putting together of census records of the whereabouts of Fred, Rachel and her child Bessie, the story from Vera's oldest Child, Nellie, about the anonymous women and who she was, and opinion. We will never know for sure.
If this story is true, it is likely Rachel changed her name and remarried and may be in a grave somewhere in California.
Rachel was the sister of my grandmother, Vera Campbell Holt. After the funeral of her parents in about 1917, the family forced Rachel to take her kid brother Monroe (James Monroe Campbell) on. Rachel took Monroe and her girl child Bessie on the train but they all left the train at a rest stop in Texarkana. Rachel then took the children to an inn and left to get food. She never returned. Both children were sent to an orphanage. Later Monroe ran away and found his family. By 1920, Bessie left the orphanage and was living with her father Fred Capehart and his second wife.
As to Rachel it was assumed by many that she was then ill and died of the flu while out. Therefore she would be in some unmarked grave somewhere near Texarkana. However, this is unlikely. Rather it appears that Fred had left Rachel (and later remarried) and Rachel was too ashamed to tell the family. So Rachel (and Bessie) was living with her parents. When Rachel's parents die unexpectedly of the flu, the family forces her to take Monroe because they think Rachel is married and able to care for him. She cannot tell them the truth. Or, if she did, the situation does not change what they want Rachel to do. The three of them board a train and just before crossing to Texas, she becomes panic-stricken and leaves them with a kind lady at the inn in Texarkana. She then returned to the train intent on going as far as the train is going to California likely.
Later, Rachel sends word to her sister Vera, confidentially telling her where she is and what happened. In the 1930s, Vera travels to California, maybe to visit Rachel. But then Vera dies where on the bus or in a car (Rachel's?) there. There is the story of an anonymous woman who pays for Vera's burial and picks out a dress for Vera claiming it was Vera's favorite color.
This is base on putting together of census records of the whereabouts of Fred, Rachel and her child Bessie, the story from Vera's oldest Child, Nellie, about the anonymous women and who she was, and opinion. We will never know for sure.
If this story is true, it is likely Rachel changed her name and remarried and may be in a grave somewhere in California.
Rachel's parents were Patrick Claburn Campbell and Nancy Starkey. Ex-spouse was Fred Capehart (1891-1973), only known child was Bessie E. Capehart (1903-1986).
Rachel was the sister of my grandmother, Vera Campbell Holt. After the funeral of her parents in about 1917, the family forced Rachel to take her kid brother Monroe (James Monroe Campbell) on. Rachel took Monroe and her girl child Bessie on the train but they all left the train at a rest stop in Texarkana. Rachel then took the children to an inn and left to get food. She never returned. Both children were sent to an orphanage. Later Monroe ran away and found his family. By 1920, Bessie left the orphanage and was living with her father Fred Capehart and his second wife.
As to Rachel it was assumed by many that she was then ill and died of the flu while out. Therefore she would be in some unmarked grave somewhere near Texarkana. However, this is unlikely. Rather it appears that Fred had left Rachel (and later remarried) and Rachel was too ashamed to tell the family. So Rachel (and Bessie) was living with her parents. When Rachel's parents die unexpectedly of the flu, the family forces her to take Monroe because they think Rachel is married and able to care for him. She cannot tell them the truth. Or, if she did, the situation does not change what they want Rachel to do. The three of them board a train and just before crossing to Texas, she becomes panic-stricken and leaves them with a kind lady at the inn in Texarkana. She then returned to the train intent on going as far as the train is going to California likely.
Later, Rachel sends word to her sister Vera, confidentially telling her where she is and what happened. In the 1930s, Vera travels to California, maybe to visit Rachel. But then Vera dies where on the bus or in a car (Rachel's?) there. There is the story of an anonymous woman who pays for Vera's burial and picks out a dress for Vera claiming it was Vera's favorite color.
This is base on putting together of census records of the whereabouts of Fred, Rachel and her child Bessie, the story from Vera's oldest Child, Nellie, about the anonymous women and who she was, and opinion. We will never know for sure.
If this story is true, it is likely Rachel changed her name and remarried and may be in a grave somewhere in California.
Rachel was the sister of my grandmother, Vera Campbell Holt. After the funeral of her parents in about 1917, the family forced Rachel to take her kid brother Monroe (James Monroe Campbell) on. Rachel took Monroe and her girl child Bessie on the train but they all left the train at a rest stop in Texarkana. Rachel then took the children to an inn and left to get food. She never returned. Both children were sent to an orphanage. Later Monroe ran away and found his family. By 1920, Bessie left the orphanage and was living with her father Fred Capehart and his second wife.
As to Rachel it was assumed by many that she was then ill and died of the flu while out. Therefore she would be in some unmarked grave somewhere near Texarkana. However, this is unlikely. Rather it appears that Fred had left Rachel (and later remarried) and Rachel was too ashamed to tell the family. So Rachel (and Bessie) was living with her parents. When Rachel's parents die unexpectedly of the flu, the family forces her to take Monroe because they think Rachel is married and able to care for him. She cannot tell them the truth. Or, if she did, the situation does not change what they want Rachel to do. The three of them board a train and just before crossing to Texas, she becomes panic-stricken and leaves them with a kind lady at the inn in Texarkana. She then returned to the train intent on going as far as the train is going to California likely.
Later, Rachel sends word to her sister Vera, confidentially telling her where she is and what happened. In the 1930s, Vera travels to California, maybe to visit Rachel. But then Vera dies where on the bus or in a car (Rachel's?) there. There is the story of an anonymous woman who pays for Vera's burial and picks out a dress for Vera claiming it was Vera's favorite color.
This is base on putting together of census records of the whereabouts of Fred, Rachel and her child Bessie, the story from Vera's oldest Child, Nellie, about the anonymous women and who she was, and opinion. We will never know for sure.
If this story is true, it is likely Rachel changed her name and remarried and may be in a grave somewhere in California.
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