Apr. 6, John, Geo., Frank, Charley, Roe & I piled logs, brush & briers & burned them. Pa got a message stating that Grandpa was expected to die, so he went down there. Ma & Mrs. DeLapp went to town. Maggie was here this evening. Frank & I went to Prayer Meeting in the evening at Nellie Rockholds. A good crowd. Had a good time. Our horses got “loose” & ran away. William Wamble cought them at Utica. Got home about eleven o’clock.
The Rockhold family is one of the oldest families around Utica, Missouri. Asa Rockhold owned land in the area in 1836.
Jesse’s and Frank’s horses slipped loose of the hitching post during the prayer meeting and wandered from the Rockhold farm to Utica. In a small population of people who closely worked with horses, someone like William would have known they belonged to the Bench boys.
Jesse left a frustrating dead end when he mentioned his father James having to leaving his dying grandfather. Jesse didn’t say his grandfather’s name or where he was. It was years of research before James’ parents were identified.
