THE MYRA ESAREY EVANS RESOURCE ROOM:

A reference center for the distribution of Esarey and related research publications, files, and reference materials

Special credit, thanks, and affection is extended to Patsy Van Kesteren, daughter of Myra Idora Esarey Evans, for all content presented here, and especially for her dedication to the idea that the primary goal of her mother's life's work was to share an incredibly complex and deep history of family ties with all who desire to know about it.

Myra Esarey Evans, second child of Marcus Logan Esarey and Laura Pearson Esarey, was born in 1899 in Cannelton, Indiana. She made her father's dream of researching and assembling a comprehensive Esarey Family history her life's work. Myra's work, as expressed best by its prolific results (especially given the technological and fiscal considerations it was done under) cannot in realistic assessment be considered a hobby. This was a full-time intent pursuit - a goal-driven process - augmented by relentless collection and organization of all available information. As evidenced by many many thousands of letters from informants across the country, Myra's day-by-day, year-by-year production was steady and directed towards a single goal. The results, as presented on these pages, speak for themselves.

MAJOR WORKS || SPECIFIC USEFUL RESEARCH FILES || MISCELLANEOUS FILES

RESEARCH FILES

Mrya's files contain a number of references and manuscripts. Those not under copyright can be shared with other researchers here.

Eli and Mahalah Jay manuscript (ca. 1900): Eli Jay and his wife Mahalah Pearson Jay lived in Richmond, IN. They were Quakers, born 1826/1827 in Miami County, OH and were interested in the genealogy and history of the Friends, especially the West Branch Friends, founded in Miami County, Ohio soon after 1800. The Jay Collection is primarily curated at Earlham College in Indiana. Myra's mother, Laura Pearson, descended from these roots and either she or her father Logan Esarey obtained this manuscript by Eli Jay outlining genealogy and history of those lines. DOWNLOAD (ca. 10 MB).

Key words for Eli and Mahalah Jay manuscript: West Branch Friends Colony, West Milton, White Water, Miami, Mill Creek, William O'Neall, John Jones, Henry Coate, Jesse Pearson, Isaac Jay, Joel Simpson, Enoch Pearson, Abijah Jones, Issac Hollingsworth, David Notte, Union Township.

The History of the Little Family: Circa 1905, James A. Little of Cartersburg, IN published a small undated volume detailing some history of the matrilineal line of Myra's grandmother, Melissa Little Pearson. This tiny but rare volume is available as a scan here. DOWNLOAD (550 kb).