Telling Their Story. Pause at photos to read.
My Ancestor's Photos
Copyright © 2006 - 2012 Linda Randles
http://www.RandlesStation.com/
Donadagohvi (Goodbye Until We Meet Again) © By Becky Hobbs
Telling the story of her Cherokee 5th Great Grandmother Nancy Ward

This song makes me think of my Cherokee 4th great grandparents Michael & Katherine Fivecoat, who were buried together high in the hills within a few miles of the Greenville Treaty Line & the Mohican River in Ohio.
In each family there is one who seems called to find the ancestors. To put flesh on their bones, to make them live again. Telling the family story makes me feel that somehow they know and approve. Doing genealogy is not a cold hard gathering of facts. Instead , it is breathing life into all that have gone before. We are the storytellers of the tribe. All tribes have one. We are called, as it were, by our genes. Those who have gone before cry out to us "Tell our story!" So, we do because In finding them, we somehow find ourselves. How many graves have I stood before and cried ? I have lost count. How many times have I told the ancestors, "You have a wonderful family; you would be proud of us." How many times have I walked up to a grave, and felt somehow there was love there for me? I cannot say. It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who I am and why do I do the things I do. It goes to seeing a cemetery about to be lost forever to weeds and indifference. Saying, "I can't let this happen, the bones here are bones of my bone and flesh of my flesh." It goes to doing something about it. It goes to pride in what our ancestors were able to accomplish. How they contributed to what we are today. It goes to respecting their hardship and losses. Their never giving in or giving up.Their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their family.
There is always lots to see and do around the Canal & Randle Town (Roscoe Village). In many places the land remains unchanged and I feel the presence of my ancestors there. I auditioned & was chosen from Roscoe Village by the talent agents to sing "Look For Jesus" for 29 Nations of the World. My purpose for living is His- story. To be a true friend, encourage & uplift the tribes of all of His chosen people.
While Merritt was living we often sang for the folks on the Canal Boat Tow Path at Roscoe. Once while fishing there, the Coshocton County Sheriff's Mounted Posse rode up. Merritt put down his guitar and told them, "Watch this, the Lord is going to let me catch a great big fish." My first thought was, oh no that's not going to happen. The next thing I knew that fishing line was zipping across the lake! Merritt was so fond of fishing and telling a good fish story.
Well, Jesus was fond of a good fish story, too!
Tree
Family
Safe Surf Logo
In front: Two of the sons of Roscoe pioneer, Abraham Randles Sr. On left, Abraham Jr. and on right the oldest of the children, John Randles. Standing, my great grandfather, Thomas Jefferson Randles, son of Abraham Jr. He is holding my grandfather William. T.J. (See 1880 Coshocton Census) was a very successful fur trapper. He made enough money to employ a maid for his wife, Susan.
Andrew Jackson "Jack" Randles, was known by sight to every child in Coshocton County, Ohio. He kept many families in food during the World Wars. He was the grandson of Roscoe pioneer, Abraham Randles Sr. and the son of John, pictured at the left. Three bridges were named for him. He was a carpenter and builder as well.
Charles Remick Randles. "Remick" was the son of Enoch Jr. C.R. was a school teacher and also served as Auditor for Coshocton County. He later worked in the Ohio State Auditor's Office.
The third Randles Bridge built. The first one was a double covered bridge, one spanned the old Canal, the other spanned the river.They were built so Jack could easily access his land which covered many acres. He raised some of the finest horses in the entire country. Photo Circa 1984
Monticello Canal Boat on the Tow Path at Roscoe Village.
Old photo of original Canal Boat at the Canal Locks, Roscoe Village
My grandfather, "Guy" William A. Randles. He died young leaving grandmother with 11 children to raise alone. All were successful in life, several were college graduates. One daughter, Susan worked at Wright Air Force Base with a direct line to the President of United States during World War 2. She came home to care for her aging mother and was also employed as Coshocton County Recorder. Grandpa William was a skilled cabinet maker & Artist. He was employed by American Art Work
Book turning pages that are blank because I haven't been able to research my Native American families as far back as I would like to.
Going uphill past the Hardware Store is Jackson Township Road 55, in present day Roscoe. On this road is where my Grandfather Abraham Sr. settled in the midst of the wilderness. Some of his family came with him. His sisters were married to the Fosters. Several family members also married into the Chaney family. Samuel Chaney born about 1848 in Ohio is listed on the 1900 Census in the Cherokee Nation.
Some of these Randles traveled by covered wagon. I can almost picture them telling their stories around the campfires at night.
It goes to deep pride that the fathers fought and some died to make and keep us a great Nation. It goes to a deep and intense understanding that they are doing it for us. It is of equal pride and love that our mothers struggled to give us birth, Without them we could not exist. So we love each one, as far back as we can  reach. That we might remember them. So we do, with love, caring and scribing each fact of their existence. We are they and they are the sum of who we are. So, as a scribe called, I tell the story of my family. Someone will be chosen in the next generation to answer the call. They will take my place in the long line of story tellers. That is why I do my family genealogy. That is what calls us to step up. Our destiny is to restore the memory and greet those whom we had never known before.
The John Randles home on Maple Street in Roscoe, Ohio. It is privately owned today and near the old Caldersburg section.
This home built in 1842 at 443 Maple St. Roscoe, was the last residence of pioneer John Randles.
The Jack Randles Bridge
Abraham,  John , Thomas J. & baby William Randles - 1880
Above: Sarah Randles My Gr Grandmother Susan  Randles
A photo of the old original canal boat at the locks. Land once owned by Randles in what is now Coshocton Lake Park
Free Language Translation Logo.
In telling the story of my ancestors a lot is unknown about the lives of the Randle, Chaney & 5 Fivecoats families before the late 1700's, represented by blank pages on the book above. The story passed down to me was that some of them were Native American. Traveling together the Cherokee & Delaware families eventually joined with the other Delawares who had chosen (Randle) Coshocton as their National Capitol. In this town near the junction of 3 rivers.. many prayers were offered up to Creator but they were forced to move away from
Randle Town - Home Of The Black Bear - & the Delaware
They tried to live in peace but like Creator's only begotten son Jesus, they soon had no place to lay their heads.
Graves desecrated, buffalo (beasts of the field) slaughtered needlessly. Creator calls to His remembrance the innocent blood stains on Mother Earth.

There will be peace when all men learn as we did, that this land is not ours we are only traveling through.
Margaret, 11th child of Peggy (Williams) & Enoch Randles Sr., with husband George William McCullough
Photo Credit: Lon McCullough
Ruth Woodrome McKnight , granddaughter of Susan (Riser) & Thomas Randles. She spoke fluent Cherokee all of her life.
Sarah Randles (John) Cramblett. Twin sister of Thomas.
My Cherokee great great grandmother, Susan (Thomas) Randles. She was the daughter of Eliza Jane 5 Coats & Samuel Riser.
Randle Town (as shown on all the old maps), was the old Delaware Capitol
The Capitol of the Delaware Indians was
Randle Town as shown on old maps. 
Known as Home Of The Black Bear.
Ruth Woodrome McKnight , my Cherokee 2nd cousin
Eliza Randles Bible, daughter of Mary (Chaney) & Issac Randles. Sister to Elizabeth (Chaney) Randles & in grandmother line of Falling Light.
Eliza, daughter of Mary (Chaney) & Issac Randles
Below: William Randles
Charles Remick Randles
Margaret, born March11, 1838 in Roscoe, Ohio. She was the 11th child of Margaret "Peggy" Williams & Enoch Randle Sr. Shown here with husband George William McCullough. The couple were married in 1865. Photo courtesy Lon McCullough of Alaska, their great great grandson.