My ggg-grandparents were Eve Houk Pool and John
Pool/Poole. John was born in Muddy Creek, Rowan County, NC and
later moved to Elk Creek, Grayson County, Virginia. After the death of
John in Virginia, Eve, with seven of her children, emigrated to
Lafayette County Missouri in about 1833. Eve must have been a very
strong woman to have made such a trip to build a new life for her
family. The farm they homesteaded has been honored by the state of
Missouri as a Century Farm, one that has been continuously farmed by
one family for at least 100 years. It is located in Mayview,
Missouri and is owned by a Pool/Poole
"cousin" who descends from Eve's son, Ephraim, and his
second wife Iraminta Morton. We descend from Ephraim and his first
wife, Julia Hogan.
In the spring of 1999, I was able to visit this farm and
cemetery. The farm sits on a little hill with a pretty view. What
a thrill it was to see where our ancestors lived and worked. Two of
the "Pool boys", Dave and John, rode with Quantrill's
Raiders during the Civil War. Dave Pool was the Captain of the
Lafayette County group and the farm was sometimes used as a camp for
the raiders. Dave Pool with 85 of his men surrendered 21 May 1865, to
Col. Harding at Lexington, MO and were granted amnesty. He settled in
Texas after the war and owned a ranch, later moving on to New Mexico
and then to Arizona where he died. Below is a drawing of Dave Poole.
Click on it for a larger version.
John Adams Pool served with Quantrill's Raiders during
the war in Missouri and Kansas. He was wounded during a raid on
Stark City, MO July 4, 1864. John surrendered April 1865 in
Lexington, MO to Major Rogers from Iowa. John left Missouri in
1874 and settled in Coleman County Texas. He left there in 1884
and moved to Presidio County Texas. In his pension application to
the State of Texas, Annie James, wife of Frank James, signed an
Affidavit certifying John's war time service.
Dave and John Pool's brother, Christopher Columbus Pool
served in the Civil War with Company E, 9th Texas Battalion, Partisan
Rangers, then transferred to General Joe Shelby's Missouri Cavalry and
served till war's end. Christopher also moved to Texas after the war and
lived the rest of his life there.
Early North
Carolina Pool Clan of Bladen, Anson, Rowan & Davidson Counties
By William Lee Poole 1983
The tombstone of William C.Quantrill. 
The Pool Family Cemetery is also located on the farm. The cemetery
is overgrown and only accessible from the farm. Our cousin had
graciously done his best to clear away the brush from the stones and
gave us a ride through his field in his truck. This cousin is aging and
has no children to take over the farm, so I'm thankful that I had the
opportunity to see it and get some pictures before this cemetery is lost
to our family. We took some video the day we visited also. It is in two
parts. To view it click here: CEMETERY
VIDEO PART 1 and CEMETERY VIDEO
PART 2. Known ancestors that are buried in the Pool family
cemetery are: James West, Henry C. West and his wife, Julia Pool
West, Eve Houk Pool, Ephraim Pool and his first wife, Julia Hogan
Pool. There are others who are related to us, but not
directly. A full listing of graves can
be viewed here. Below is a poem I found that
expresses what I feel not only about visiting ancestral graves, but the
joy of learning about those who came before us and are a part of each of
us.
