Washington Roots? - - Who knew? - - The Vanhoy Family

Vanhoy family, Spring Creek, Klickitat County, Washington 1900, Seated in front Louisa Elisabeth Henley Vanhoy, Hamilton Jones Vanhoy, Standing L to R son George Washington Vanhoy, adopted daughter holding doll and daughter Annie Francis Vanhoy. 

It's a small world in family history circles and this is a story that really surprised me. 

My 4th great grandmother Verlinda Vanhoy was born in 1812 in North Carolina. After her marriage to Asheal Woodruff Hart they and many of their extended family members moved to Henry County, Missouri. The Brooks' and associated families lived in Henry County, Missouri for more than one hundred years. The aforementioned Doris Ellen Hunt Brooks would have been her Verlinda's granddaughter.  This is where I thought the story ended, in Missouri.  Fast forward one hundred thirty years and eighteen hundred miles. 

My husband and I lived in Goldendale, Klickitat County, Washington for twenty years.  It is a very small town with a nice cemetery right across the street from our church.  I knew that there were Vanhoy headstones but I really didn't think to much of it.  After all, my Vanhoy family is from Missouri and Vanhoy is a fairly common name.

One day a gentleman came into the family history library to donate a book he had written.  It was titled the "Vanhoy Families of Klickitat County." I found it interesting so I began flipping through the pages.  Suddenly the pedigree charts began to look very familiar.  I open my own research book to compare, and there it was, a perfect match to my Vanhoys!  

A pioneer of Klickitat county Hamilton Jones Vanhoy was my grandmother's brother!  I could have fell out of my chair! All those miles and all those years and I ended up living in a town that my ancestor helped establish. It was a fascinating adventure and much research followed. Here are some of the interesting things that I found.  

Vanhoy homestead property on Vanhoy Road, Goldendale, Washington.  Abandoned long ago. Beautiful in the spring.

Pioneer Monument on courthouse lawn. 

Hamilton & Louisa Vanhoy listed on the pioneer monument. 
Brother of my 4th great grandmother Verlinda Vanhoy.

Newspaper clipping from 1911 

An article from the local history said, "at one time every fifth person on the street was a Vanhoy."  There are still a few descendants left but none that I could located with the Vanhoy name. 





Hamilton Jones Vanhoy
     Brother to Verlinda Vanhoy wife of Asheal Woodruff Hart (4th great grandparents)
Father of Mary Elizabeth Hart wife of James W. Hunt (3rd)
     Parents of Doris Ellen Hunt wife of Charles Daniel Brooks (2nd)
Parents of Carl McKinnley Brooks, grandfather to the Brooks clan!
     Me and you!

This story is an example of why my heart is so devoted to family history.  I frequently experience the feeling that my ancestors are very close.  Many times I have not found them, but they have found me!  I learn about their lives, their adventures, their heartache and I feel I know them.  I marvel at their choices and cry for their heartaches.  It seems when I learn about them here on earth my heart searches for them in the vast spans of eternity.  It is a wonderful feeling.