I don't know how I got this on my msg board because I don't subscribe to this particular board but I had to put in my two cents. As a big listener to country music I had to go out to buy a song I loved years ago.......Just a song I thought. The song, I believe, was by Merle Haggard......The words went something like.....
Gramma's maiden was --- Zo (?)-VILLINES....Theres 90 yrs to tell about in a few short lines..Born in NEWTON CO. down in Akransas.....Then in ninteen one she married grampa. We laid her soul to rest one Sunday mornin' & everybody know she'd done her part. Don't get set to hear no hidden family legend.....Just a song about the life of gramma HARP....just think about the times she lived through ....think about the changing world she saw...Now somehow she reared a descent family out of poverty....& for 70 yrs she loved the same ol' grampa....to me her passin' brought a closin' chapter to a way of life I loved within my heart....I just mean to say I think we owe her somethin' special...It's just a song about the life of GRAMMA HARP......

Well so sorry if I bored anyone or if it isn't exactly what this board is for......but this was too real to ignore. Hope someone gets something from it.....PS.....I'm not even sure how I got this msg....I don't subsubscribe to either the HARP, Villines or NEWTON CO board....?

Unexplained things do happen on the internet.!!. The song is about Zonie Villines Harp (Zonie short for Arizona- actual Martha Frances Arizona Bell Zonie); married John Bohannon Harp, son of Wm. Thomas Harp, a son of my 2nd GGrandparents Elijah Bohannon Harp Sr. and Martha Jane Tate. According to all I read, Grandma Zonie is certainly due a lot of praise. The family traveled from Newton Co. Ar. via Oklahoma and on to California when times were very hard.
Joyce Hankins Lindsey

Joyce
Thanks so much for the explaination. I had to go buy it when I heard it. I loved the song. I almost felt like it was a compultion. It was a bit if a shock to find all these names together along with the name of Newton Co. PS....My family is about six or eight generations in Okla now & we have cousins in Ark. for just as long. Thanks again.......Still a bit strange.

I definitely understand. Since this is my direct family line, I will be more than happy to share info. Grand ma Harp has brough lots of attention for the Harp Family. If I ever get to meet Merle Haggard, I must tell him about what a great thing he has done for the family.
Joyce

Why not send him an email. Surley he has an addy .
Cricket

You are correct about strange things happening on the internet. I was checking Newton Co. for Woodruff/Kilgore/Sloan and saw this. I have heard the song more times than I can count and never noticed it montioned Newton County in it. My Nephew' X-wife was related to Grandma Harp, she lives at Porter, Okla. I'll have to check to see how she was related. Interesting. Thanks. Woody

Can't wait to hear from you again. Yes, Merle did the Harp family a big favor with his song about Grand Ma Harp. My Harps are my very favorite family to research,. On my Mother's side is Solomon, Elijah, Sr. and Joseph Anderson and his son, my GrandFather, Abraham Lincoln --- and on my Dad's side Sampson and Sarah Tudor, and Sampson and Rebecca Murphy and their daughter,Nancy Adeline who married James Cecil. their daughter Rebecca married Wm. James or James Wellington Carlton. Then my Grandmother Margaret Gertrude Carlton m. John Wilkes Booth Hankins.

Looking Forward,

Joyce Hankins Lindsey

I also notcied the name Bell, my Grandmother was a Bell from Hilltop but when her Father died in 1896 the children moved to the area of Mt.Sherman where their Grandfather Sid Allen lived. The old homesteady at Hilltop is still family owned and Wayne Bell lives there. I'm going to find someone with the record this weekend and listen to it more careful this time.

My ggreat grandfather was Isaac Kilgore and his sister was Cynthia Ann who married Marion House, their son Lewis married Delia Harp. Merle Kilgore wrote this song for Merle Haggard. Do we connect- would love to correspond.
email-odd_wadd@comcast.net

Yes, the song is a great tribute to Zonie Villines. I also am in the Villines line. I think I have e-mailed you, Joyce. Anyway, I sent Merle Haggard an e-mail once, but no answer. I bet he gets mail every day from people like me telling him I am a cousin(very distantly) The song is very pretty . Just had to put my two cents in. Have a great night!!!