Matilda Fancher Headstone
 
Margaret Matilda Fancher Myers was the fifth child of of John Fancher and Ann Mariah Smith, died in 1925 and was buried by my grand father James E. Jordan, in the Exeter District Cemetery. For Joseph and Matilda Myers genealogy go to the Fancher/Myers genealogy database.
 
Margaret Matilda Fancher was the daughter of John Fancher and Ann Mariah Smith. The Fancher family has had a very moving family history. John Fancher's brother was Captain Alexander Fancher, who led a wagon train known as the Fancher Party into Utah where he, his family, and almost the entire wagon train of 140 men, women and children were massacred by and at the direction of Mormon officials at Mountain Meadows, Utah, in 1857. Alexander and his family were on their way with several hundred head of cattle to Tulare County where they were to join his brother. John Fancher had registered the first cattle brands in Mariposa and Tulare counties in 1852. His JF brand was purchased by a cattle company in the San Joaquin Valley and is still in use today. Fancher Creek in Fresno County runs through the city of Fresno and was named for John Fancher.
 
Her husband Joseph Myers was born to John Myers and Ellen Hayes on 2/14/1836. He married Matilda in 1866 in Tulare County, California, when she was 14 years old. They lived in the following California locations: Yokohl Valley, in the Outside Creek School District south of Farmersville, Tulare County, Visalia, San Diego, San Luis Obispo County, and Madera County, California. Joseph Myers died in 1910 and is buried in the Arbor Vitae Cemetery, in Madera, California. Both he and Matilda's graves were unmarked.
 

Joseph and Matilda Myers had 13 children, all of them born in California, Nancy Elizabeth (Abt. 1867), Albert (1868), Joseph E. (1869), Stephen (1872), Ellener (Mar 10, 1874), John (1876), Alice (1878), George (1880), Charles (1883), Matilda (1885), Sopha (1888), James L. (1892), and Chloie Mable (1894).

 
Joseph and Matilda's daughter Ellener Myers married J. B. Jordan in March 23, 1894 and they lived on thier 5000 acre cattle ranch in the Yokohl Valley, east of Exeter, California. Ellener Myers Jordan served as the first chairperson of the Jordan Family Reunion Committee, which will have its 112th reunion this year in Exeter, California, see the JORDAN REUNION INVITATION for details. J. B. Jordan and Ellener were my great grandparents and I now serve as chairman of the reunion committee.
 
Joseph and Matilda Myers and family moved to Madera County around 1908 or so onto the ranch known as the Adobe Ranch, named so due to the material used to build the house and ranch buildings.
 
Matilda remarried and was residing in the small town of Del Rey, Fresno County at the time of her death. She was born on Fancher Creek in Tulare County (now Fresno County), which was less than 10 miles north of Del Rey.
 
 
OBITUARY - Matilda Fancher
 
The Exeter Sun
The Home of the Red Emperor Grape
Exeter, California, Thursday, July 2, 1925

PIONEER WOMAN OF TULARE CO. PASSES
----
MRS. MARGARET BLAKESLY LAID TO REST IN EXETER CEMETERY SATURDAY AFTERNOON
----

Mrs. Margaret Blakesley, perhaps better known as Mrs. Joseph Myers, and
one of the oldest settlers of Yokohl Valley, and well known in Exeter, passed
away last Thursday at 12:30 at the General Hospital in Fresno, following
a stroke of paralysis. About two weeks before, Mrs. Blakesly had been removed
from her home in Del Rey to the hospital in Fresno.

Mrs. Blakelsy, who was 73 years old at the time of her death, was a daughter
of John FANCHER, being born in Tulare county near Fancher Creek which was
named after her father. When but thirteen years old she married Joseph
MEYERS [MYERS] and shortly after they moved to the Yokohl Valley where
they engaged in cattle raising. To this union were born thirteen children,
all of whom survive their mother with the exception of the late Mrs. Alice
THARP, of Three Rivers. The twelve children are: Mrs. Elizabeth MORTER,
of Big Pine; Edward MEYERS [MYERS], of Madera; Steven MEYERS, who lives
in Southern California; Mrs. Ellener JORDAN, of Visalia; George MEYERS,
of Sugar Pine; Charlie MEYERS, of Madera; Mrs. Matilda SAWYERS, of Clovis;
Mrs. Sophia WOODWORTH, of Walnut Creek; Mrs. Clois [Cloie] WEEKLLY [WEAKLEY],
of Madera; and James MEYERS, of Del Rey.

Six years ago Mrs. Blakesly was married to W.T. Blakesly, having lived
in Del Rey for the past few years.

Funeral services were held at the Exeter Undertaking Parlors Saturday afternoon,
Rev. John BENTZIENT, of the Exeter Baptist Church, conducting the service.
 
 
OBITURARY – JOSEPH MYERS
 
Monday, April 4, 1910 from Madera 's Dailey
Died Yesterday
Joseph Myers Taken by Stroke of Paralysis
 
Joseph Myers, whose home was on the Adobe ranch, died yesterday from paralysis. Mr. Myers was a native of Illinois aged 74 years, and came to California in 1852. About five years ago he came to Madera.
 
Not withstanding his advance age he enjoyed very good health until 5 weeks ago, when he suffered a stroke of paralysis, from which he never recovered.
 
He leaves twelve children, seven sons and five daughters, to mourn his death. The sons are, John, Ed., George, Charles, James, Albert and Stephen. The daughters are Mrs. J. B. Jordan, Mrs. John Morter, Mrs. Charles Sawyer, Mrs. S. Ray and Mis Chloe Myers
 
The funeral will be held tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock from the Methodist church, South. Interment in the Arbor Vitae cemetery.
 
Tuesday, April 5, 1910 from Madera 's Dailey
 
FUNERAL OF JOSEPH MYERS.
 
The funeral of Joseph Myers was held from the Centenary Methodist church this morning the services being conducted by Rev. R. L. Sprinkle. After the services the remains were taken to Arbor Vitae cemetery for interment.
 
The pall bearers were: A. J. Etter, W. A. Moore. S. E. Payne, Jas. Ragan, J. M. Hollister, and C. H. Lillie.
 
By Frank Kirkman (grandson 3 times removed)
 
 
  HEADSTONE FUND  
     
    Click on image above to view story on Tulare Counties first registered cattle brand.
   
   
   
I was unable to collect enough money for headstone for my great grandmother three times removed so I donated the stone myself on November 2005. As you can see I am not much of a fund raiser. I will place a photo of the headstone as soon as I get one.
     
     
     
     
     
 
  The headstone engraving and placement will be contracted to the Smith Family Chapel in Exeter, California.  
 
 
     
 
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