Amanda (Hall) Holland petitions court for support

I recently uncovered a court document revealing that Janie (Dove) Holland petitioned the court for a year’s support following the death of her husband, Elijah Jeffers Holland, who passed away at just 42. A month later, I found another court record—this one dating back to 1892—showing that Elijah’s stepmother, Amanda (Hall) Holland, had once done the very same thing after losing her husband, Elijah’s father, Leroy Thomas Holland (my 2nd great grandfather).

In 19th-century Georgia, when a husband died, state law entitled his widow and minor children to receive enough of the estate to cover their living expenses for one year. Just weeks after Leroy’s death on May 4, 1892, Amanda submitted a petition to the Whitfield County, Georgia Ordinary Court (the local probate court), requesting financial and property support for herself and the six minor children Leroy left behind.

Three of those children—Aaron, Lawrence, and Joseph—were hers with Leroy. The other three—Elijah, Andrew, and Charles—were from his earlier marriage to my 2nd great-grandmother, Amanda Elizabeth Scott. Amanda also asked for basic household furniture and goods to meet their day-to-day needs. At the time, no estate administrator had been appointed, which added urgency to her appeal.

Amand Holland, widow of Leroy T. Holland
Application for years support. Filed in office May 23, 1892. 
J. C. Norton, Ordinary 
State of Georgia, Whitfield County.
To the Honorable Court of Ordinary of said County. 
The petition of Amanda Holland respectfully showeth that Leroy T. Holland late of said County departed this life on the 4th day of May 1892 leaving your petitioner his widow and six minor children surviving him, to wit, Aaron, Lawrence, and Joseph Holland, the children of your petitioner and Elijah, Andrew, and Charles Holland, the three last named are the children of deceased by a former marriage and she prays your Honorable Court in conformity with the statute in such case made and provided to appoint five discreet and proper persons to act as appraisers in setting apart to your petitioner and her six minor children as aforesaid the sum necessary in their judgement for support and maintenance of your petitioner and her children for the space of twelve months from the 4th day of May 1892 either in money or such property as may be selected by your petitioner at a fair valuation to be made by said appraisers. And also to set apart a sufficient amount of household furniture for the use of your petitioner and her children, and further to require said appraisers to return to you for record their proceedings. Petitioner shows that there is no administrator on said estate. And your petitioner will ever pray. 

Amanda H. Holland, petitioner

The court responded by appointing five local men as appraisers, charging them with assessing the estate and determining what assets should be set aside to support Amanda and the children for 12 months. 

Whitfield Court of Ordinary at Chambers
Upon the foregoing application of Amanda Holland, the widow of Leroy T. Holland deceased for the appointment of appraisers to set apart to said widow and her six minor children a sum necessary for their support and maintenance for the space of twelve months out of the estate of said Leroy T. Holland deceased and also to set apart for the use of said widow and children a sufficient amount of household furniture. It is ordered that George P. Brownlee, Samuel R. Hackett, Joseph B. Hays, Andrew J. Womack, and John Ledford be and they are hereby appointed appraisers for that purpose and that a warrant issue to them. Further ordered that said appraisers return to me for record all their proceedings in the premises. Ordered further that this order operate as a warrant to them for so doing. Given under my hand and official signature this 23d day of May 1892.

J. C. Norton, Ordinary 

Their findings, submitted on June 4, set apart a share of household items, farming tools, livestock, and 80 acres of land for Amanda and her three children—on the condition that she pay $100 toward the estate’s debts. The three children from Leroy’s first marriage were also allocated a selection of livestock, tools, and partial land interests.

Georgia, Whitfield County 
To the Ordinary of said County. 
We the undersigned appraisers appointed by your honorable Court to assess and set apart a sum necessary for the support and maintenance of the widow and minor children of Leroy T. Hollard deceased for twelve months either in money or such property as the said widow may select, do report that we find there are two sets of children, to wit, three by a former wife, and three by the said widow and after considering the condition of the estate and the family, we have set apart as being necessary for the support and maintenance of the said widow and her own three children to wit: Aaron, Lawrence, and Joseph Holland the following to wit: One wagon $25, one keg 75 cents, one cross cut saw 50 cents, plow stocks and harness $3, 3/4 bushel grass seed 40 cents, one set buggy harness $1, one garden rake 25 cents, 2450 feet of lumber $12.25, one wash pot 50 cents, mattock 25 cents, grind stone 40 cents, 5 jugs $1, 2 kegs 75 cents, carpenters tools $3, one cow and calf $15, 8 hogs $12, two bureaus two trunks $3, one chair $1, 3 bedsteads $4, one clock $1,4/7 of $150 in lots of land no. 213, ½ of 184 (80 acres of land lot no. 184) tenth district and third section $100. We give her said 80 acres of land provided she pays outstanding debts against the estate to the amount of one hundred dollars. And we also set apart for the support and maintenance of the three minor children by the former marriage to wit: Elijah, Andrew, and Charlie Holland, aged respectively 19, 17, and 15 years, the following property, to wit: One mule $40, two yearlings $6, 2450 ft. of lumber $12.25, 1 evaporator pan $5, 1 safe $3, 3/7 of $150 interest in lots of land no. 213 and one half of no. 184, tenth district and third section.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this June 4th 1892.

G. P. Brownlee
J. L. Ledford
J. B. Hays
S. R. Hackett

After the appraisers completed their assessment of Leroy’s estate and recommended what support should be set aside for Amanda and the six children, the next step in the legal process was to notify the public. On the record for the July 1892 term, the Whitfield County Court of Ordinary ordered that a citation be issued and published—as required by law. This meant the court was now legally required to let others know that Amanda’s claim had been filed and that the appraisers’ report was available for review.

The notice read:

Whitfield Court of Ordinary 
July Term 1892

Ordered that citation issue and be published as the law requires. 

J. C. Norton, Ordinary

The notice was published publicly in The Dalton Argus on September 3, 1892 and served as a formal invitation for anyone with legal interest in the estate to object. That could include creditors, other family members, or anyone who believed the division of property was unfair or overlooked their rights. The publication fee was listed as $2.25.

GEORGIA, Whitfield County,
Notice is hereby given that the appraisers appointed to set apart to the widow and minor children of Leroy T. Holland deceased a year support from the estate of said deceased, have filed their report and all persons concerned are required to show cause if any they have on the first Monday in September 1892, why said report should not be confirmed, pf$2.25

J. C. Norton, Ordinary

The Dalton Argus, Dalton, Georgia, September 3, 1892

In Amanda’s case, no one stepped forward to contest the report. When the court reconvened in September, her petition was officially approved.

Whitfield Court of Ordinary 
September Term 1892
Notice having been lawfully published requiring all persons concerned, to show cause of any they have why the report of the appraisers appointed to set apart a years support from the estate of Leroy T. Holland, deceased, for the maintenance of Amanda Holland widow of said deceased and her six minor children, should not be confirmed at this term of the Court, and now, there being no objection presented and the Court believing the report just and reasonable, it is hereby ordered to record and made the judgement of this Court. This September 5, 1892.

J. C. Horton, Ordinary

This glimpse into 19th-century probate law shows how widows like Amanda had to not only hold their families together after loss but also navigate a system more focused on property than people. These records reflect the strength it took for the women who came before us to simply endure and survive.

References

• Notice, The Dalton Argus, Dalton, Georgia, September 3, 1892.
• Whitfield County, Georgia, Probate Records 1865–1935. Images 205–206, FamilySearch. 

Lyd, property of Samuel Winslett Sr.

This post is part of an ongoing project to record names of enslaved people of Greene County, Georgia I find in historical records. 

Georgia Journal, May 29, 1827

Between the usual hours of sale, on the first Tuesday in June next, will be sold at the court-house in the town of Greenesborough, Greene county, the following property, to wit:

One negro girl by the name of Lyd, 14 years of age, levied upon as the property of Samuel Winslett, Sr. to satisfy a fi fa founded on the foreclosure of a mortgage in favor of Hardy Bridges vs. said Winslett; property pointed out in the fi fa.

One cupboard, 4 pets, 3 ovens, 3 beds and furniture, 4 sows and pigs, 8 shoats, 7 cows and calves, 1 mare and colt, 60 barrels corn, and 300 lbs. fodder, all levied upon as the property of John Thompson to satisfy a fi fa on the foreclosure of a mortgage in favor of Henry Thompson vs. John Thompson.

NICHOLAS HOWARD, D.S.

References

Georgia Journal, Madison, Georgia, May 29, 1827.

Mattie Belle Moore

This blog post is another in a series connecting the dots in my tree to the souls buried at Bairdstown Cemetery in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.

Mattie Belle Moore was born on October 6, 1886, in Polk County, likely in Cedartown, Georgia. She was the daughter of George William Moore and Margaret E. Hogg, both originally from Greene County, Georgia. Mattie was one of several children in the Moore family, including her siblings: Margaret “Maggie” Moore, Bettie Moore, Nellie J. Moore, Charles Howard Moore, Lula E. Moore, William Henry Moore, Helen O. Moore, and George A. Moore.

Mattie Belle Moore (photo from Rebecca Brightwell)

Though we share no common ancestors, Mattie is connected to my family as the mother-in-law of the niece of the husband of my 2nd great-aunt, Lillie “Della” Lankford. Della was the sister of my great-grandmother, Alice Beman Lankford, and the wife of Hayden Edgar George.

Mattie’s life was touched by loss early on. Her mother, Margaret, passed away on April 4, 1900, when Mattie was just 13 years old. Margaret was laid to rest at Lime Branch Cemetery in Polk County. She left behind 30 ¾ acres of land, part of an inheritance from her father. However, the property had to be sold by George, Mattie’s father, to settle debts associated with Margaret’s estate.

On June 21, 1900, Mattie was living with her widowed father in the Blooming Grove community, District 88 of Polk County. The household included her siblings Maggie, Bettie, Nellie, Helen, and George, ranging in age from 3 to 20. George worked as a farmer on land he owned. At the time, Mattie, Bettie, and Nellie were attending school. All members of the household, except for the youngest children, Helen and George, were able to read and write.

On January 5, 1902, Mattie’s father, George, remarried. His second wife was Emma S. Burgess, and the ceremony took place in Oconee County, Georgia.

Later that same year, on December 31, 1902, Mattie married William Henry Arthur, the son of George Hugh Arthur and Mary Caroline Johnson. Their wedding was held in Polk County, Georgia, officiated by a minister named G. B. Bowman. At the time of their marriage, there was a seven-year age difference between Mattie and Henry.

Marriage certificate from Polk County, Georgia

Mattie and Henry had a large family, welcoming nine children: Mary Arthur, George Hugh Arthur, Emily E. Arthur, Sue Belle Arthur, Nellie Arthur, Frances Arthur, William Arthur, Roy Mell Arthur, and one child whose name remains unknown. Interestingly, Mattie’s obituary notes that she was known as Sue Bell Moore prior to her marriage—possibly inspiring the name of her daughter, Sue Belle. Despite extensive searching, I have been unable to locate any record of the ninth child beyond a mention in Mattie’s obituary.

By April 15, 1910, the Arthur family was living on a rented farm along Lexington Road in Bairdstown, Georgia. The census that year recorded that Mattie had given birth to five children, all of whom were living at the time. Also residing in the household was Henry’s 22-year-old brother, John “Johnnie” Arthur. Both Henry and Johnnie were listed as farmers on a general farm. All three adults—Mattie, Henry, and Johnnie—were noted as being able to read and write. At that point, Mattie and Henry had been married for seven years.

Mattie’s family faced another loss when her sister, Lula, passed away on June 2, 1914. Lula was laid to rest at Leila Cemetery in Colquitt County, Georgia.

By 1918, Mattie and Henry had moved to Stephens, another small community in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. That year, during World War I, Henry registered for the draft and listed his occupation as a farmer working for John W. Moody.

By January 2, 1920, Mattie and Henry had purchased a farm in the Falling Creek district near Maxeys, in Oglethorpe County. Henry worked the land as a general farmer, while their eldest son, Hugh, contributed as a farm laborer on the home place. Eight of their children were living at home, ranging in age from 16 to 5. All but their youngest, Roy, were attending school. Everyone in the household could read and write, except for the three youngest—Frances (8), William (7), and Roy (5).

Tragically, Mattie passed away suddenly on December 30, 1922, in Maxeys. Her death certificate simply noted the cause as “sudden,” offering no further explanation. She was buried the next day, December 31, which marked her and Henry’s 20th wedding anniversary. Her funeral was held at Bairdstown Cemetery, where she was laid to rest.

Her passing was announced in The Oglethorpe Echo on January 5, 1923, which wrote: “The sad death of Mrs. Henry Arthur, of Maxeys, occurred last Saturday night. She was just in the prime of life, thirty-seven years of age. She was before her marriage twenty years ago to W. H. Arthur, Miss Sue Bell Moore of Cedartown. She was the splendidly good mother of nine children and her fine tender care of them was marked with the finest of motherly love. Her body was laid to rest here (Bairdstown) Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock. She leaves her husband and nine children.”

References

• Charles Howard Moore, State of Texas, Certificate of Death no. 10830, 1966.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/24210892/george_william-moore: accessed June 17, 2025), memorial page for George William Moore (28 Jul 1851–29 May 1927), Find a Grave Memorial ID 24210892, citing Lime Branch Cemetery, Polk County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Áine Ní Donnghaile (contributor 47214861).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/24210912/margaret_e-moore: accessed June 17, 2025), memorial page for Margaret E. “Maggie” Hogg Moore (25 Mar 1855–4 Apr 1900), Find a Grave Memorial ID 24210912, citing Lime Branch Cemetery, Polk County, Georgia, USA; maintained by HistoryGeek (contributor 47373780).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/51665693/lula_e-watson: accessed June 18, 2025), memorial page for Lula E. Moore Watson (16 Oct 1876–2 Jun 1914), Find a Grave Memorial ID 51665693, citing Leila Cemetery, Colquitt County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Brenda Arnett Darbyshire (contributor 47229861).
• Mattie Bell Arthur, Georgia State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Standard Certificate of Death no. 33357, 1922.
• McRee Jr., Fred W., Oglethorpe County, Georgia Deaths: 1874–1938, p. 293, (The Oglethorpe Echo, January 5, 1923), 2006.
• Miss Mattie Belle Moore and W. H. Arthur, Georgia, Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• Mr. George W. Moore and Miss Emma Burgess, Georgia, U.S., Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• Personal visit to Bairdstown Cemetery, Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.
• Polk County, Georgia, Court Minutes 1899–1910, image 61, FamilySearch.
• U.S. Federal Census, Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1910.
• U.S. Federal Census, Blooming Grove, Polk County, Georgia, 1900.
• U.S. Federal Census, Falling Creek, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, Hutchings, Polk County, Georgia, 1880.
• William Henry Arthur, U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918. 

Amy and Sukey, property of John Wilson Jr.

This post is part of an ongoing project to record names of enslaved people of Greene County, Georgia I find in historical records. 

Georgia Journal, April 27, 1824

On the first Tuesday in June next, will be sold at the court house in the town of Greenesborough, Greene county, between the usual hours of sale, the following property, to wit.

Two negroes, Amy a woman about 25 years old, and her child Sukey about 4 years old, levied on as the property of John Wilson, Jr. to satisfy a fi fa on the foreclosure of a mortgage in favor or Jesse Booles, vs. John Wilson, Jr.—property pointed out in the fi fa.

WILLIAM GREER, D. Sh’ff

References

Georgia Journal, Madison, Georgia, April 27, 1824. 

Minnie Permelia Hanson

Minnie Permelia Hanson was born around 1859 in Morgan County, Georgia, to Robert “Bob” Hanson and Lucretia Chambers. She was the youngest of 12 siblings, growing up in a large family. Her brothers and sisters included Thomas J. Hanson, Mary Hanson, Virginia Hanson, Joel Branham Hanson, Robert Hanson, Isaac Newton Hanson, John Hanson, James O. Hanson, Amanda Hanson, George W. Hanson, and Francis “Fannie” Hanson.

Minnie was the wife of my 1st cousin, 4x removed, William A. Lankford. Although we share no common ancestors, our family lines connect through her marriage to William. He was the son of Curtis Caldwell Lankford, who was the brother of my 3rd great-grandfather, James Meriweather Lankford. 

On August 1, 1860, Minnie, listed as “Permelia” in the census, resided in the Adsboro District of Morgan County, Georgia, with her family. Her father worked as an overseer and held a personal estate valued at $200, while her mother, originally from South Carolina, managed the household. Five of the Hanson children—Robert, Isaac, James, Amanda, and George—had attended school within the past year. However, Francis, at age five, and Minnie, just one year old at the time, had not yet begun their formal education. 

Minnie was just two years old when the Civil War began in April 1861, a conflict that would shape her family’s history. In July of that year, her brother Joel enlisted as a private in Company G of the Infantry Battalion of Cobb’s Legion, Georgia Volunteers. He sustained serious wounds to his abdomen and left hip during the Battle of South Mountain at Crampton’s Gap on September 14, 1862, during the Maryland Campaign. Sent home on furlough to recover, Joel later returned to service, where he was assigned to the President’s Guard and remained in duty until the war’s end.

When Minnie was three, her brother Isaac answered the call to arms. In March 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company I, 44th Infantry of the Georgia Volunteers. Sadly, Isaac did not survive the war. He succumbed to pneumonia on January 4, 1863, while hospitalized at Chimborazo Hospital Number 1 in Richmond, Virginia. His final resting place is at Oakwood Cemetery in Richmond.

On July 1, 1870, the Hanson family was recorded as living in Madison, Morgan County, Georgia. By this time, Minnie’s father, Robert Hanson, had transitioned from working as an overseer to farming, while her mother managed the household. Her brothers, James and George, contributed as farm laborers. Census records indicate that Robert was unable to read or write, and the family’s surname was documented as “Hinson.” A notation that appears to be the word “leased” was marked in the real estate column next to Robert’s name, suggesting he did not own the land he farmed but was instead leasing it.

The 1870s proved to be a turbulent decade for the Hanson family. On October 7, 1874, tragedy struck when Robert was shot during a family dispute in Ebenezer, Morgan County, Georgia, by his son, J. O. Hanson. He sustained two gunshot wounds—one to the neck and another to the bladder—injuries deemed fatal by his physician, Dr. Pleasant Wilson. Despite efforts to save him, Robert survived for three days before passing away on October 10. That same day, Minnie’s brother, Joel, arranged for their father’s burial, purchasing a coffin for $25. The incident made headlines, not only in Georgia newspapers but also in publications as far as Memphis, Tennessee. The dispute occurred on election day, and reports suggest that alcohol—specifically whiskey—played a role. In the aftermath, James fled the area on horseback, leaving behind a family shaken by grief and scandal.

During the September 1874 term of the Morgan County Superior Court, an indictment for murder was issued against James, though he had not yet been arrested. The case remained active in the courts for several years, and while evidence suggests the charges may have been reduced to malicious mischief, I have not located official court records or newspaper accounts confirming the final outcome.

In September 1878, Shadrach Dawson was indicted for assaulting Minnie’s brother, Joel, with a club axe—a brutal attack that initially led to charges of attempted murder. However, Dawson later pleaded guilty to assault, resulting in a sentence of either a $50 fine or one year in the chain gang if the fine remained unpaid. Despite the severity of the assault, Joel survived and took legal action, ensuring the case was brought before the courts.

On June 2, 1880, 18-year-old Minnie lived in the Buckhead District of Morgan County, Georgia, alongside her widowed mother, Lucretia (65), and her sister Amanda (22). With her husband gone, Lucretia assumed the role of head of the household, managing daily affairs with the support of her two adult daughters. 

The following year, Minnie married William A. Langford, son of Curtis Caldwell Lankford and Nancy A. Elizabeth McCarty. Their wedding took place on August 15, 1881, in Morgan County, in a ceremony officiated by G.F. McCowan.

Marriage license

Before his marriage to Minnie, William was employed as a servant in the household of Asbury Almond, a farmer in the Martins District of Morgan County, Georgia.

Together, Minnie and William built a family, raising five children: Wade Hampton Langford, Benjamin Hill Lankford, Essie Lou Lankford, Lovie Lee Lankford, and Gertrude Elizabeth Lankford. As was common with the Lankford surname, variations in spelling appeared in records, sometimes written as “Langford” with a ‘g’ rather than a ‘k.’

In May 1890, Minnie’s husband William signed a sharecropping agreement with his landlord, W. A. Almand. A tenant farmer, William promised to pay Almand $90 for provisions that were provided to help grow crops that year, with payment due by November 1, 1890. As security for this loan, William gave Almand a legal claim on half of all cotton he grew on the land (20 acres) known as the Weaver place. The first cotton produced and ready for market would be used to settle the debt at market prices. W. A. Almand may very well have been Asbury Almond, the farmer William worked for prior to his marriage to Minnie.

While no definitive records confirm the circumstances of her passing, it is believed that Minnie died in childbirth with her daughter Gertrude. Gertrude was born in Morgan County on either September 7, 1895 or 1896. Her obituary lists her birth year as 1895 and states she was 81 at the time of her passing. However, her tombstone records the year as 1896. Given that she died in July, the 1896 birth year seems more accurate. Minnie was laid to rest at Sugar Creek Baptist Church Cemetery in Madison, though no marker stands at her grave.

Following Minnie’s death, William remarried and had four more children. Curiously, Gertrude was not living with William and his family in 1900, and no census record for her during that year has been found. By 1910, at age 14, she was residing with her sister Lovie and Lovie’s husband, Henry Taylor.

References

• Bob Hanson Sr., The Northeast Georgian, Athens, Georgia, October 21, 1874.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/233140902/j_newton-hanson: accessed April 19, 2025), memorial page for Pvt J. Newton Hanson (unknown–4 Jan 1863), Find a Grave Memorial ID 233140902, citing Oakwood Cemetery, Richmond, Richmond City, Virginia, USA; maintained by Dig Up (contributor 47525629).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/48172597/gertrude-whitley: accessed June 4, 2025), memorial page for Gertrude Lankford Whitley (7 Sep 1896–24 Jul 1977), Find a Grave Memorial ID 48172597, citing Harrell Grove Cemetery, Douglas, Coffee County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Douggie (contributor 51050912).
• Georgia Items: Tragic Affray, The Northeast Georgian, Athens, Georgia, October 14, 1874
• Georgia News, Rome Tri-weekly Courier, Rome, Georgia, October 17, 1874.
• J. (Isaac) Newton Hanson, U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861–1865.
• Joel B. Hanson, U.S., Civil War Soldiers, 1861–1865.
• Joel B. Henson, U.S., Civil War Service Records (CMSR) - Confederate - Georgia, 1861–1865.
• Latest Georgia News, The Oglethorpe Echo, Crawford, Georgia, October 30, 1874.
• Morgan County, Georgia, Court Minutes 1871–1877, image 199, FamilySearch.
• Morgan County, Georgia, Court Minutes 1871–1877, image 200, FamilySearch.
• Morgan County, Georgia, Court Minutes 1877–1881, image 48, FamilySearch.
• Morgan County, Georgia, Court Records 1858–1882, image 332, FamilySearch.
• Morgan County, Georgia, Mortgages 1890, images 289–290, FamilySearch.
• Robert Hanson, Morgan County, Georgia, Bonds 1845–1878, 1878–1912, image 223, FamliySearch.
• Robert Hanson, Morgan County, Georgia, Probate Records 1869–1878, image 459, FamilySearch.
• The Georgia Press, Georgia Weekly Telegraph and Georgia Journal and Messenger, Macon, Georgia, October 20, 1874.
• U.S. Federal Census, Adsboro District, Morgan County, Georgia, 1860.
• U.S. Federal Census, Buckhead District, Morgan County, Georgia, 1880.
• U.S. Federal Census, District 62, Morgan County, Georgia, 1850.
• U.S. Federal Census, Madison, Morgan County, Georgia, 1870.
• U.S. Federal Census, Martins District, Morgan County, Georgia, 1880. 

Berry: property of Herod Irby

This post is part of an ongoing project to record names of enslaved people of Greene County, Georgia I find in historical records. 

Planters’ Weekly, November 28, 1860.

Postponed Sale.

Will be sold before the Court House door in Greenesboro Greene County Ga. on the first Tuesday in December next, within the legal hours of sale, one negro boy named Berry about 5 ½ years old; sold in accordance with the last Will, of Herod Irby dec’d. for the benefit of the heirs of said dec’d. Terms of the day of sale.

I. A. WILLIAMS, Ex’r. of Herod Irby, dec’d.

November 14th, 1860.

References

Planters’ Weekly, Greensboro, Georgia, November 28, 1860.

Frances “Fannie” Adline Overton

Frances “Fannie” Adline (or Adeline) Overton was born in September 1843 in Newton County, Georgia, to Abijah Overton and Elizabeth Ann Rhodes. She grew up in a large family of eight siblings: Mary J. Overton, James Henry Overton, Julia Saphronia Overton, Elizabeth B. Overton, John M. Overton, Willilam Mosby Overton, Louisa E. Overton, and Millicent Virginia “Jinnie” Overton. Fannie is my 3rd great-aunt, with our nearest common relatives being her parents (my 3rd great-grandparents). Her sister Virginia was my 2nd great-grandmother.

When the 1850 census was taken on September 26, six-year-old Fannie lived with her family in Subdivision 65 of Newton County, Georgia. Her father, recorded as Elijah Overton in the census, worked as a farmer with real estate valued at $1,500. The household would have been active, housing 11 people, including 9 children. That year, only two of her siblings attended school—15-year-old James and 10-year-old John.

Fannie’s childhood years were marked by several family celebrations and changes. At age 8, she witnessed her sister Elizabeth’s marriage to Vardamond Woolley in Newton County on October 19, 1853. Around age 10, she became an aunt when Elizabeth began her family with Vardamond. When Fannie was about 12, her brother James married Nancy Sparks in Newton County. The following year, at age 13, her sister Julia married Hansford D. Woolley, Vardamond's brother, on June 15, 1858. A year later, Julia and Hansford welcomed their son, John L. Woolley, in Conyers, Rockdale County, Georgia.

By October 1860, the Overton’s had established themselves in Conyers where they maintained a thriving farm. Under her father’s guidance, the family’s real estate holdings grew significantly, reaching a value of $2,000—a $500 increase—along with personal assets worth $850. Fannie’s mother and sister Mary contributed to the household through their seamstress work, while her brother John labored alongside their father in the fields. Though the family enjoyed financial stability, access to education varied within the household. Fannie’s mother could neither read nor write, and of all the children, John and Louisa were the only ones who had attended school that year. The household was very active with family members ranging from 28 to 10 years old, including the young children of Fannie’s sister, Mary—5-year-old Thomas L. Overton and 2-year-old Emma G. Overton.

The years 1861 and 1862 brought deep sorrow to the Overton family through deaths both at home and in the war. In March 1861, Fannie’s young nephew John Woolley died in Conyers just before his second birthday. Two weeks later, on April 15, her sister Julia died at age 26. They were buried together in Old Conyers City Cemetery.

Julia’s death came three days after the Civil War began, a conflict that would take more family members. Fannie’s brothers John, William, and James joined the Confederate forces. Her brother-in-law Hansford, age 30, enlisted on October 2, 1861, while still mourning his wife Julia and son John. After being wounded near Richmond, Virginia, he died in a hospital there on April 29, 1862. His body was returned to Georgia, where he was buried next to Julia and John at Old Conyers Cemetery.

The losses continued when Hansford’s brother Varadamond, also Fannie’s brother-in-law, enlisted in the war. He died of typhoid fever in Chattanooga seven months after joining the Confederate army.

In her early twenties, Fannie became a mother to Mattie L. Overton, her daughter born outside of marriage. Meanwhile, her brother William married Nancy Boyd in DeKalb County on January 3, 1867.

By September 20, 1870, Fannie, now 24, remained in her parents’ home in Conyers, along with her sisters Mary and Louisa. The household included several children: her nephew Thomas, now 14, and niece Emma, 12, as well as two newer additions—4-year-old nephew Fletcher L. Overton, Louisa’s son, and Fannie’s own daughter Mattie, age 3. A 24-year-old white male named Lewis Sudduth also lived with the family, though his connection to the Overton’s is unclear. The family maintained their traditional roles, with Abijah continuing his work as a farmer, helped by Thomas who was listed as ‘farm works.’ The women of the household—Fannie's mother, Mary, Fannie, and Louisa—managed the domestic duties together. Records show that Thomas, Emma, and Lewis could not write. Just five houses away lived Fannie’s brother John, who was neighbors with Joseph and Drucilla (Henson) Burnett. Drucilla would later become connected to the family when her grandson Thomas Terrell Burnett married Fannie’s sister Virginia.

During October and November 1875, Fannie provided nursing services to Mrs. Aley Rhodes in Rockdale County, charging $0.75 per day for 21 days, totaling $15.75. After Rhodes’ death in early 1876, Fannie was an individual documented in relation to financial transactions connected to her estate. To ensure payment, Fannie swore before a justice of the peace on May 22, 1876, certifying that the account was just and accurate. On July 9, 1877, Fannie’s name appeared on a list of payments made by D. N. Hudson, the administrator of the Rhodes estate. The estate paid Fannie $10 (noted as “in compromise”) on March 31, 1877, less than the $15.75 owed to her. The remaining $5.75 may in fact have been paid to Fannie, however, I have not located a record that shows that. Given that Fannie’s mother’s surname was Rhodes, Aley Rhodes may have been an extended family member.

The 1880 census of June 21 found Fannie living in District 476 of Rockdale County, Georgia, sharing a home with her aging father Abijah, who was 75 and widowed. Her sisters Mary, 48, and Louisa, 34, also lived there, along with nieces Emma, 22, and Mattie, 14, and nephew Fletcher, 14. The absence of Fannie’s mother Elizabeth from this record, combined with Abijah’s widowed status, suggests she died sometime between their last known record in September 1870 and this census, though no death record has been found. The household included two black boarders who worked as farm hands: Jacob Clay, 30, and Wesley Hendrix, 22. While Abijah continued to oversee the farm operations, Mary had taken charge of running the household. Fletcher helped with farm work, and Mattie attended school.

Five years later, on August 26, 1885, Fannie’s daughter Mattie married William A. Smith in Rockdale County. Less than two years after this wedding, the family lost their patriarch when Abijah Overton died in Conyers on June 14, 1887. The following day, The Conyers Weekly reported his burial at Daniel Cemetery in Rockdale County, noting his status as an “old and honored citizen” of the community.

In his will dated June 10, 1887, Abijah carefully provided for his daughters and granddaughter. He left his home place—76¼ acres of land in lot 366 of the 16th District, originally in Henry County, then Newton, and now Rockdale County—to his three daughters Mary J., Fannie A., and Louisa E. Overton, along with his granddaughter Emma G. Overton. The property included two mules, two cows, a calf, a yearling, all farming tools, a two-horse wagon, and all household and kitchen furnishings.

The will specified that these women could live together on the property throughout their lives, but marriage or departure from the home would end their individual interests. Abijah included specific provisions for succession: if Mary died, her interest would pass to her son Thomas L. Overton; if Fannie died or married, her share would go to her daughter Mattie L. Smith; and if Louisa left through death or marriage, her portion would transfer to her son Fletcher L. Overton. Emma would forfeit her interest upon marriage and leaving the property. Abijah stipulated that the property should remain intact as a home for these women until the last one left through either death or marriage. At that point, the land and remaining property would be sold at public auction under the ordinary’s direction, with proceeds divided equally among his heirs.

Just over a month after her father’s death, Fannie married James Harris Scott on July 21, 1887, in Rockdale County, with Isaac Hamby performing the ceremony. This was James’ second marriage, as he had previously been married to Sarah A. Richardson, though the fate of that first marriage—whether it ended in Sarah’s death or divorce—is unclear. James brought three sons to the marriage: James A. Scott, born around 1862, Walter Levi Scott, born about 1871, and John R. Scott, born approximately 1874.

Marriage certificate

The Georgia Enterprise in Covington announced the marriage in its July 29, 1887 edition with a brief notice: “Mr. J. H. Scott was married to Miss Fannie Overton one day last week. Both of Rockdale County. Elder Isaac Hamby officiated.”

James brought with him a history of Civil War service and survival. He endured some of the war’s most brutal battles, including the Seven Days Battles near Richmond from June 25 to July 1, 1862, the Second Battle of Manassas in Virginia, the Battle of Gettysburg, and the Battle of the Wilderness in Spotsylvania and Orange Counties, Virginia, fought May 5–7, 1864. His war experience culminated in capture at Petersburg, Virginia, where he was sent to Point Lookout, Maryland as a prisoner of war. He remained there until the war’s end, when he was finally released.

1907 census of confederate soldiers card (Alabama 1907) for James H. Scott

Fannie received two distributions from her father’s estate: an initial payment of $12.05 in December 1887, followed by a final settlement of $24.15 in April 1889.

By 1892, Fannie and James had relocated to Alabama. The 1900 census of Goddard, Marion County, Alabama, reveals what I believe to be Fannie’s middle name, the only record I found recording it. All others simply use her middle initial, A. The census lists an Adline Scott living with James H. Scott, and evidence suggests this was Fannie: the couple resided in Goddard, where other records place Fannie and James, and their recorded marriage length of 14 years aligns perfectly with Fannie and James’ July 1887 wedding, as noted in the June 15, 1900 census. 

As I researched James, I noticed some variation in his birth date—while October 4 remains consistent, the year varies from 1833 to 1839, with the 1900 census listing October 1839. Though this census recorded “Adline” as having no children, we know from her father’s will that Fannie had a daughter, Mattie L. Overton, before her marriage to James. Such omissions were common in the 19th century when children were born outside of marriage, as families often chose to keep these matters private.

While some census details appear incorrect, such as listing both of Adline’s parents as Virginia-born, other evidence strengthens the connection. The census describes James as a literate farmer who owned his farm, noting both he and his wife could read and write. A strong piece of evidence comes from their neighbor Stephen P. Hanson, who lived just two houses away. Stephen’s daughter Martha Ursula Hanson would marry John William Burnett, brother of Thomas Terrell Burnette, my great-grandfather. According to one of John’s descendants, he lived with his aunt Fannie and uncle Jim Scott before his 1899 marriage to Martha, suggesting he may have met his future wife during this time given their nearby homes.

Back in Georgia, Fannie’s brother John passed away on April 4, 1906, in Newton County and was laid to rest in Almand Cemetery in Conyers.

The 1910 census, taken on April 26, shows Fannie and James still residing in Goddard. Unlike the 1900 record, this census showed that Fannie had one child, though the enumerator left blank the question about its survival. The record contains two notable errors: Fannie appears as “Frances M” instead of Fannie A, and her parents’ birthplaces are incorrectly listed as Virginia for her father (who was born in South Carolina) and Tennessee for her mother (who was born in Georgia, though the 1900 census had claimed Virginia). James maintained his occupation as a farmer, working and owning a general farm.

That same decade brought another loss to the family when Fannie’s sister Virginia, known as Jinnie, died on January 10, 1916. She was laid to rest at Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Loganville, Walton County, Georgia.

By 1920, Fannie and James had settled on Jordan Road in Bear Creek, Marion County, Alabama. The January 20 census shows James, at 86, still actively farming his own land. This census entry adds to the amusing inconsistencies in their records—James’ parents, consistently listed as South Carolina-born in previous records, were suddenly recorded as being from Ireland (father) and Holland (mother), with his mother’s tongue noted as Scotch. The following year found Fannie and James living in Haleyville, another Marion County community.

Loss touched the family again when Fannie’s oldest brother James died on July 28, 1921, at age 89. He spent his final days at his son John’s home in the Grove Level community of Dalton, Whitfield County, Georgia, and was buried the next day in Grove Level Cemetery.

Fannie’s own story ended in October 1925 when she passed away in Marion County, Alabama. The details of her death date and burial location remain undiscovered, leaving her story partially untold until future records might emerge online to complete it.

References

• Abijah Overton’s will, Rockdale. Wills 1872–1916, image 75, FamilySearch.
• Elizabeth B. Overton, James H. Overton, Sophronia Julia Overton, William M. Overton, Georgia, Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• Fannie A. Scott, Alabama Deaths, 1908–59.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32242310/john_l-woolley: accessed May 13, 2025), memorial page for John L. Woolley (24 Aug 1859–30 Mar 1861), Find a Grave Memorial ID 32242310, citing Old Conyers Cemetery, Conyers, Rockdale County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Scott and Priscilla Butler Fraser (contributor 46859858).
• Frances A Overton, Georgia, U.S., Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• Hansford D Woolley, U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861–1865.
• J. H. Overton, North Georgia Citizen, Dalton, Georgia, August 4, 1921.
• James H. Scott, Alabama, U.S., Census of Confederate Soldiers, Multiple Regiments (Marion County #47), 1907, 1921.
• James Harris Scott, Alabama, U.S., Census of Confederate Soldiers, Georgia CSA Commands (Folder #1), 1907, 1921. 
• Jinnie Burnette’s tombstone, Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, Loganville, Walton County, Georgia (personal visit).
• John M. Overton, U.S., Civil War Service Records (CMSR) - Confederate - Georgia, 1861–1865.
• Person visit to Almand Cemetery, Conyers, Rockdale County, Georgia.
• Rockdale County, Georgia, Annual Returns 1876–1891, images 70, 72, 577, and 636, FamilySearch.
• Rockdale County, Georgia, Court Minutes 1872–1936, image 20, FamilySearch.
• Sarah A. Richardson, Georgia Marriages, 1699–1944.
• Town and County: Everything and Everybody, The Georgia Enterprise, Covington, Georgia, July 29, 1887.
• U.S. Federal Census, Bear Creek, Marion County, Alabama, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, Conyers, Newton County, Georgia, 1860.
• U.S. Federal Census, District 476, Rockdale County, Georgia, 1880.
• U.S. Federal Census, Goddard, Marion County, Alabama, 1900, 1910.
• U.S. Federal Census, Subdivision 163, Newton County, Georgia, 1870.
• U.S. Federal Census, Subdivision 65, Newton County, Georgia, 1850.