from Mr. L. S. Stanaford for $ 7.35 in January 1918.  Frank White received $ 20.00 for a "calf" in September 1918 and Mr. Snow was paid $ 10.00 for "two hogs" in December 1918. 

            There is a series of checks written in early 1918 that may indicate that some rebuilding was necessary in McKinney.  Besides the purchase of nails and siding (to J. A. Allen) mentioned above, Ellis Wall also wrote checks to J. A. Allen for the following sums:  $ 16. 45; $ 109.00; $ 43.00.  During the same period, Ellis signed a check to F. White for $ 19.00 for "work on church."  And in May 1918, is a $ 5.00 check for "donation" payable to the Red Cross. 

            The Walls lived near McKinney, Kentucky.  Their railroad station was the South Fork Station in Lincoln County.  Having property and money and education, Ellis and Lizzie could have traveled easily by rail throughout the nation although there is no indication that they did so.  The only indication within the trunk of a connection with far-away-places was a tiny sea-shell, about the size of a thumb-nail.  This small reminder of the exotic obviously meant a great deal to Miss Lizzie since it was kept within her trunk all these years.

            In early October 2003, the grave of Ellis G. Wall and Elizabeth Wall was observed in McKinney Cemetery, Lincoln County, Kentucky.  Located just a short distance outside of the town of McKinney, the cemetery is in the midst of the so-called "Knob Hills" or "Knob Land" of Kentucky.  The earlier (1924) tombstone for "Lizzie Wall" had been replaced with a joint headstone for Ellis and Elizabeth.

Present-day McKinney has few businesses; main street is still well-marked but consists primarily of empty lots and a few empty buildings.  The railroad stills runs through the edge of town.  The county seat, Stanford, is located nearby.

Although there was nothing in the trunk to establish that it was actually once the property of Lizzie Wall, there were several documents within the trunk associated directly with the life and death and time of "Miss Lizzie."   That the trunk could have belonged to "Miss Tabbitha" (Ellis' mother who lived at one point in the household with Ellis and Lizzie) is noted as a possibility but discarded because of the lack of any mention of her in the documents.  The same could be said for the last Mrs. Ellis Wall, "Miss Anna," whom Ellis married after Lizzie's death -- there was no mention of her at all on any of the trunk documents.  It is, therefore, concluded that the medium-sized humped-backed trunk belonged to Elizabeth "Lizzie" Ryan Wall, late of McKinney, Lincoln County, Kentucky.

"Miss Lizzie's" trunk is currently owned by Jim and Charlena Thornton of Hattiesburg, Mississippi.  All of the trunk documents are in their possession.

                                                            William T. Thornton

                                                             December 15, 2003

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CHRONOLOGY & INVENTORY OF DOCUMENTS FOUND IN THE TRUNK

1899:  Deed transferring land (5 acres) from G.A. Brock and Melissa Brock to John Walls dated 10-28-99.

1900

09-11-00:  Note due 09-11-02 for $ 45.00 at 6% interest to J.B. McKinney for a tract of       land.  Note written on McKinney Milling Company stationery.

09-11-00:  Agreement for Ellis Walls to pay J.B. McKinney $ 225.00 for a tract of

"knob land of about 81 acres"

[Note:  Kentucky knob land is the land characterized by the prominent hills that form a region called The Knobs.  The Southern Knobs form part of a circle of ridges around the well-known region of Kentucky called the Bluegrass Region.  McKinney, Lincoln County, is located in these Southern Knobs.]

1903 cancelled check, McKinney Deposit Bank

  10-21             O.G. Harrison, Cashier 44.35               Bal. on note to J.B.McKinney

1903:  Ellis Wall appointment as minor county official (dealing with roads) on 08-10-03 (See Page 14).  It appears that a "Mr. Wall" was removed as "Surveyor or Roads Precinct No. 96" and that Ellis Wall was appointed as the replacement.  It is possible that the former surveyor was John Wall, Ellis' father, who died October 30, 1903, and shortly before his death, his son was appointed "in his stead."

1905:  Deed for more land from J. M. Walls dated 12-26-05  

The "J.M. Walls is probably Joseph M. Wall, husband of Elena R. Wall.  Joseph is probably a brother to Ellis Wall.  Joseph M and Elena Wall are buried in the McKinney Cemetery and their joint headstone is shown below:

1909, 1910, and 1911:  Contract and receipts from R. J. Bowen and Brothers, Pianos and Organs, Winston-Salem, N.C.  "65.00 for one "Putnam Organ Style 650 No 46211.

Paid $ 10.00 down and agreed to pay $ 15.00 every three months until paid in full."

            Receipts:       $ 10.00   12-14-09

                                    15.00   03-14-10       

                                    10.00   06-13-10

                                    10.00    09-15-10

                                    10.00   12-22-10

                                    12.30   02-23-11

                        TOTAL PAID FOR PUTNAM ORGAN:  $ 67.30

See Page 17.

1910:  Deed transferring land from Ellis Walls and "his wife Lizzie Walls" to William B. Carpenter dated 03-11-10.