Dear Ms. Franklin,

I'm a great-great grandson of Sam & Eliza Dickerson Kimberlin, a great-grandson of Julian Kimberlin, a grandson of Daisie Kimberlin Miller, & a son of Joe Betsy Miller Allred. I've visited Sam & Eliza's graves in Blue Springs, MO, & am trying to learn more about ALL their descendants. Julian was 14 when his father, Sam, was hanged in his own barn in 1862 by "Yankee sympathizers." Julian & his parents were at a Sunday lunch at a neighbor's home, (as my grandmother told the story her father had recounted to her) when 3 men rode up on horseback & said, "Mr. Kimberlin, we wanta talk to you." Whereupon, Sam Kimberlin got his horse & rode with the men across the creek in into their barn. Julian & his mom watched as 4 men rode into the barn & later 3 men rode out. "Ju" (as he was called) & Eliza jumped up from the dinner table on the porch & took out across the creek & up the hill to the barn where they found Sam hanging from one of the rafters. They cut him down, but he was dead. According to my grandmom, Sam had 4 sons fighting with Quantrell's division of the Confederate "raiders." Julian then joined up with them (my father speculated "as a water-boy") & was with them 'til the end of the war. Members of our family have often postulated circumstances surrounding that fateful visit by those 3 men on a Missouri Sunday afternoon, but one of my aunts, Ladelle Kimberlin Ince, (2 years younger than my grandmom) said she'd heard that the 3 men were "Yankee sympathizers" & all were later killed by the 4 Kimberlin brothers. So much for rumors.

I'll look forward to hearing from you at your convenience.

Peace & love,

Sam Houston Allred
www.samhoustonallred.com