Adaline Celestial Malone

Adaline “Addie” Celestial Malone was born on December 5, 1841, in Georgia, the daughter of Thompson “Tom” Malone and Laura E. Williams. She was one of six children born to this union, alongside Josephine, Felix Thomas, Martha Ophelia, Laura Ella, and Cornelia Jane Malone. Addie also had two older half-siblings—Joseph H. Malone and Sarah Haseltine Malone—from her father’s first marriage to Araminta “Anita” Henderson.

Addie’s connection to me is complicated: according to Family Tree Maker, she is the aunt of the husband of the step-granddaughter of my first cousin five times removed. This line traces back to my 5th great-grandparents, Robert L. Hobbs Sr. and Mary Marion Caldwell, and winds through the Southerland, Lankford, Davison, Boswell, and finally Malone families.

By November 2, 1850, the Malone family was living in Greensboro, District 161 of Greene County, Georgia. Thompson Malone was a prosperous farmer with real estate valued at $7,000. Addie and her sister Josephine were attending school. Also residing in the household was William A. Williams, a 26-year-old farmer, likely a relative of Addie’s mother. Next door lived Nancy Malone, age 35 (possibly 55), listed as “insane.” In the same household were Jefferson (19), Laun (18), Wesley (14), Clement (8), and Antoinette (16) Malone. Jefferson and Laun were farming, while Wesley and Clement were in school. Though their exact relationship to Addie remains unconfirmed, the proximity and shared surname suggest a close family connection.

On December 7, 1858, Addie married John Franklin “Frank” Martin, son of John Martin and Nancy Lyall Sims, in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. The ceremony was performed by Rev. N. M. Crawford.

By June 9, 1860, Addie and Frank were living in Woodville, Greene County. She was 19, and Frank, a farmer, was 22 with a personal estate valued at $3,000. They later moved to Floyd County, where they lived just two doors from Addie’s parents and siblings. The 1860 census shows Thompson (listed as Thomas) with real estate worth $9,500 and a personal estate of $21,000. Josephine, Felix, and Ophelia were still in school.

Addie’s only child, Laura Lyall “Lollie” Martin, was born on December 27, 1860, in Georgia. Her name honored both grandmothers—Laura E. Williams and Nancy Lyall Sims.

Tragedy struck in 1862. Addie’s father, Thompson Malone, died on May 27 or 28 in Greene County (court records differ on the exact date). His burial site remains unknown. Just weeks later, on June 11, Addie’s sister Josephine married William Johnson Boswell. Then, on August 22, Addie’s husband Frank died unexpectedly in Floyd County. He left no will, and Addie—now a 20-year-old widow with a toddler—was forced to navigate the complex world of probate and estate management.

Frank’s father, John Martin, was appointed temporary administrator to handle the perishable property. Addie soon returned to Greene County with Lollie and petitioned the court to manage her daughter’s inheritance, valued at $8,000. She posted a $10,000 bond with B. Johnson and William Sanders as securities. The court approved her request, granting her legal authority over Lollie’s share. Addie also received a $400 allowance for one year’s support and later collected over $2,100 as part of her own inheritance.

Although John Martin was formally appointed Lollie’s guardian in January 1863, Addie remained deeply involved. She filed reports, managed assets, and advocated for her daughter’s interests. When John Martin became gravely ill in October 1863, he verbally affirmed Lollie’s right to an equal share of his estate. He died on October 26, and Addie’s role became even more critical.

On February 3, 1863, court-appointed commissioners divided the enslaved individuals from Frank’s estate. Addie received Mary and her child Sarah, valued at $1,650; Lollie received Rebecca and Emily, both around 12 years old, valued at $1,800. Two estate auctions—on November 5, 1862, and December 1, 1863—generated $9,073.61 from the sale of livestock, furniture, tools, farm goods, and medical instruments. Court records from 1863–64 refer to Frank as “Doct. John F. Martin,” and the inventory included saddle bags, a pocket case, and medicinal supplies, suggesting he practiced medicine.

In November 1863, Addie submitted a detailed account of Lollie’s estate, which included $2,500 in Confederate bonds and the two enslaved girls, now listed as Rebecca and Emma.

That same month, Addie was formally recognized as one of her father’s heirs during the December 1863 Term of the Greene County court. She received a young enslaved boy named Little Jack as part of her share. On January 11, 1864, Addie petitioned the court for legal guardianship of Lollie, now under 14, and posted a $16,000 bond—double the estate’s value. Her petition was approved.

On January 25, 1864, Addie appeared before Justice J. W. Godkin to settle a financial claim against her father’s estate. Acting as a creditor, she submitted an account for $288.23, which was paid in full by her brother Joseph and mother Laura, the estate’s administrators. The next day, she received $2,037.50 and a $133.33 adjustment to equalize her share in the division of enslaved persons. On March 2, 1864, she received an additional $2,660, all of which reflected the substantial value of Thompson Malone’s estate.

The next day, she received $2,037.50 and a $133.33 adjustment to equalize her share in the division of enslaved persons. 

On March 2, 1864, she received an additional $2,660, all of which reflected the substantial value of Thompson Malone’s estate.

On March 4, 1864, Addie petitioned the Superior Court of Greene County for permission to invest $2,500 of Lollie’s inheritance in Confederate bonds. Judge Iverson L. Harris approved the request on March 9.

Sadly, Addie’s life was cut short. She died on April 16, 1865, likely in Oglethorpe County, and was buried beside her husband in the Martin Family Cemetery in Oglethorpe County. She was just 23 years old. Her death left four-year-old Lollie orphaned, but Addie’s careful legal actions ensured her daughter’s inheritance and future were protected.

Photo by Walter John “Bud” Bussell, Find A Grave
member 46594959

On February 1, 1869, the Court of Ordinary in Greene County appointed William J. Boswell, Addie’s brother-in-law, as guardian ad litem for Lollie. With Addie gone, Lollie became her sole heir. Boswell petitioned the court to represent Lollie’s interests in the final settlement of Thompson Malone’s estate, ensuring that the legacy Addie had fought to preserve would pass to her daughter.

Longevity was not a hallmark of this family’s story. Like her mother Addie and father Frank before her, Laura “Lollie” Martin lived only a brief life, passing away at the age of 20 in 1881.

References

• Adaline C. Malone, Georgia, U.S., Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• Estate Records: Greene County, Georgia, Probate Estate Case Files 1790–1943, images 493, 507, 628, 648, 662, and 752, FamilySearch.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32135833/adeline_celestial-martin: accessed November 11, 2025), memorial page for Adeline Celestial “Addie” Malone Martin (5 Dec 1841–16 Apr 1865), Find a Grave Memorial ID 32135833, citing Martin Cemetery, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Lu Batchelor (contributor 47083487).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32135820/john_franklin-martin: accessed November 11, 2025), memorial page for John Franklin Martin (9 Apr 1836–22 Aug 1862), Find a Grave Memorial ID 32135820, citing Martin Cemetery, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Lu Batchelor (contributor 47083487).
• Floyd County, Georgia, Annual Returns 1861–1869, image 305, FamilySearch.
• Floyd County, Georgia, Appraisal Records 1852–1867, Bills of Sale 1852–1867, Probate Records 1852–1867, 1842–1852, Sale Records 1842–1852, 1852–1867, image 481, FamilySearch.
• Floyd County, Georgia, Probate Court Minutes 1859–1866, images 190–191, FamilySearch.
• Greene County, Georgia, Court Minutes 1856–1868, images 322 and 329, FamilySearch.
• Greene County, Georgia, Court Records 1865–1869, 1859–1886, images 124 and 173–174, FamilySearch.
• Greene County, Georgia, Court Records 1865–1869, 1859–1886, images 178 and 431, FamilySearch.
• Greene County, Georgia, Marriage Records 1849–1877, 1875–1877, Colored Troops Division Records 1875–1877, image 398, FamilySearch.
• U.S. Federal Census, District 161, Greene County, Georgia, 1850.
• U.S. Federal Census, Woodville, Greene County, Georgia, 1860.
• Wilkes County, Georgia, Court Records 1828–1855, image 284, FamilySearch.
• Wilkes County, Georgia, Wills 1819–1836, 1837–1877, images 339–340, FamilySearch. 

Little Jack awarded to Adaline C. (Malone) Martin

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

From the estate of Thompson Malone

Rec’d Dec 1863 of J. H. & Laura Malone, Admr. & Admx. Of the estate Thompson Malone deceased one negroe boy named Little Jack the same being awarded by the Commissioners as her equal share of the negroes of said estate.

A. C. Martin

Reference

Estate Records: Greene County, Georgia, Probate Estate Case Files 1790–1943, image 628, FamilySearch. 

Robert Hobbs donates land for Woodville School House

Robert L. Hobbs, my 5th great-grandfather, is still on my list of subjects to research. I’ve written part of his story (click here to read), but there is much more to learn about him. So far, I know that Robert was born on May 30, 1754, in Queen Anne’s County, Maryland. His family later moved to Craven County, South Carolina, where he lived during the Revolutionary War. He served as a patriot soldier, completing multiple tours between 1779 and the early 1780s, including service under General Nathanael Greene and participation in campaigns against British forces and Cherokee tribes.

In 1790, Robert moved his family to Greene County, Georgia, where he lived for the next 55 years. He became a planter and slave owner, and was involved in a high-profile forgery case in 1800, narrowly escaping execution thanks to a last-minute pardon. In 1845, he was granted a Revolutionary War pension retroactive to 1831, but received only seven months of payments before his death on June 7, 1845, at the age of 91. His burial site is unknown, though it may be near Greensboro, Georgia.

After his death, his estate—including land, household goods, and 16 enslaved individuals—was appraised at over $6,000 and administered by his son Nathan Hobbs and John G. Holtzclaw, with sales and settlements continuing into the 1850s.

I recently learned that in 1842, Robert contributed to his community in a way that would have helped many. In November 1842, he donated half an acre of land located on the west side of the Georgia Railroad, near Town Creek and adjacent to Mrs. Mary Nance’s property, to a group of trustees—James Croft, Henry English, A. J. Watson, Samuel D. Durham, and James M. Davison. He granted the land to the trustees and their successors “in fee simple,” meaning it was a permanent gift intended to support education for generations to come. While he reserved the rights to certain timber, the rest of the property was freely given to serve the public good. This act of generosity reflects Robert’s commitment to his neighbors in the story of Woodville’s growth and the value placed on learning.

Although the book History of Greene County, Georgia by Rice and Williams doesn’t mention the Woodville School House by name, it paints a picture of rural education in the 19th century. Children often attended small “field schools” or “poor schools” built from logs, with simple benches and shuttered windows. Teachers worked long hours—from sunrise to sunset—and were paid modestly, sometimes in food rather than money. Despite limited resources, these schools served families who deeply valued learning. Many students studied by firelight and went on to become respected leaders. It’s likely that the Woodville School House, built on land donated by Robert, resembled this kind of institution.

In 1928, nearly a century after Robert donated land for the Woodville School House, records show a contested trustee election for the Woodville–Bairdstown Consolidated School. While I can’t say with certainty that this was the same land Robert gifted in 1842, the continued use of the Woodville name and confirmation that the consolidated school building was located in Woodville make it a strong possibility. The school had clearly evolved—merging with Bairdstown in Oglethorpe County and becoming part of a broader public education system. Through all the changes and legal disputes, its roots in Woodville suggest that Robert’s original gift may have continued to serve the community for generations.

Robert’s contribution isn’t my family’s only connection to Woodville schools. Census records confirm that my father’s family lived in Woodville in 1940 and would have attended school there. Many years ago, my Aunt Lucile (Lankford) Epps purchased two books at a Greene County book sale and gave them to my Daddy (Sam Lankford), who in turn gave them to me. Both books were from Woodville schools and had been assigned to Daddy, his sister Lucile, and their brother Clark. One of the books, The Story of Our Republic: A History for Beginners by Irving P. Foote, Ph.D., held a surprise when you opened the pages. I wrote about the two books in 2018, which you can read about on my blog: Vintage school books.

References

• Greene County, Georgia, Deeds 1839–1852, image 290, FamilySearch.
• Greene County, Georgia, School Records 1790–1943, Probate Estate Case Files 1790–1943, images 1293–1296, FamilySearch.
• Rice, Dr. Thaddeus Brockett, History of Greene County: 1786–1886, pp. 178–179, edited by Carolyn White Williams, The J. W. Burke Company, Macon, Georgia, 1961.
• U.S. Federal Census, Woodville, Greene County, Georgia, 1940.

Medical Debts Settled by Thompson Malone’s Estate: Harry and Jack

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

From the estate of Thompson Malone

Thompson Malone to Dr. Wm. L. M. Harris

• Jan. 8, 1861: Visit and mileage negro child = $2.50
• Jan. 19, 1861: Exam and prescription negro boy Harry = $1.00
• Sept. 4, 1861: Visit and mileage and adjusting fractured limbs for boy Jack = $25.00
• Sept. 5, 1861: Visit and mileage Jack = $2.50
• Sept. 6, 1861: Visit and mileage Jack = $2.50
• Sept. 8, 1861: Visit and mileage = $2.50
• Sept. 10, 1861: Visit and mileage = $2.50
• Oct. 6, 1861: Visit and mileage = $2.50
• Total = $41.00

Reference

Estate Records: Greene County, Georgia, Probate Estate Case Files 1790–1943, image 704, FamilySearch.

Cameron’s Stocking—A New Family Treasure

This is one post I never expected to write.

Back in March, my son Chris and daughter-in-law Ashley stopped by on a Saturday morning, donuts from a new shop in hand. It felt like a typical visit—until they shared something extraordinary. After nearly 12 years of marriage, they were expecting a baby.

I’m not sure they got the reaction they were hoping for. I was too busy trying to pick my jaw up off the floor to respond properly. Both my husband and I were in shock. We had never pushed for a grandchild—having a child is a deeply personal decision, and it was never ours to make. Whenever the topic came up (and it wasn’t me who brought it up), they made it clear they didn’t want children. I had come to terms with that. But people can change their minds, which is what my son told me that day. So this news wasn’t just surprising—it was a blessing I never saw coming.

As soon as they left, I knew exactly what I had to do: make a Christmas stocking for my grandchild.

I had made a stocking for Chris, ready by his second Christmas. My younger son Kevin’s took a bit longer—31 years, to be exact—but I finished it in 2018. Ashley’s was stitched in 2019. I couldn’t bear the thought of this child having a store-bought stocking hanging beside two handmade ones. So, after a couple of days of mulling it over, I ordered a stocking kit and got to work the moment it arrived.

I kept the project a secret, just in case I didn’t finish. If you know my sons, you know they would never let me live that down. So that’s how I spent every afternoon this past spring and summer—stitching after lunch until it was time to start dinner. I even brought the project with me for my month-long Georgia visit with family in the spring. It came in handy when our train hit a truck on the way there and we were stuck on the tracks for several hours. Cross-stitching made the time fly by.

I documented my progress along the way, sharing updates with a few trusted family members in Georgia—under strict instructions not to breathe a word to anyone in Virginia. It was my little secret, and I wanted it to be a surprise when the time came. 

 

Sometimes the threads were a hot mess!

In June, I had to pause unexpectedly for eye surgery to repair a macular hole. I’d noticed the stitches were getting harder to see, but I work with 18-count Aida cloth, which is quite small. That had never been a problem before—but I’m not getting any younger. I blamed the lighting for my struggles. Little did I know! After the surgery, I had to spend a week face down, followed by two more weeks of recovery. Despite the setback, I pushed through—this time with the help of a lamp my husband kindly moved to my work area.

As is customary today, we learned the baby’s sex before he was born, and Chris and Ashley chose a first name. It took a while to settle on a middle name, so I took the opportunity to ask—more than once—what name they had selected, especially as the project neared completion. Every year, my family gathers the Sunday after Thanksgiving to help trim our crepe myrtles, clean out the gutters, put up the outdoor Christmas lights, and decorate gingerbread houses. It’s become a wonderful tradition, and I use it as a chance to hand out Christmas-themed gifts, like ornaments, at the beginning of the season instead of the end. My plan was to present the stocking that day.

I was nearly finished with the stocking—except for the name—by mid-August when Ashley invited me to join them for her monthly checkup, which included an ultrasound. At the appointment, the technician asked if they had chosen a name yet, and Ashley responded with “Cameron.” At that moment, I felt safe stitching his name. That gave me plenty of time to purchase the materials needed to complete the stocking and have it professionally finished.

All that was left was to fix the rope which my sister helped with

I finished a few days later and was able to relax during my next month-long visit to Georgia in the fall. My stitching isn’t perfect—some stitches are a little wonky, and I didn’t catch them until it was too late. I redid what I could, but didn’t let the imperfections stop me. I purchased velvet and silk-like fabrics for the back and lining, and when we returned home in September, took everything to a local alterations shop, where they transformed it into a proper stocking.

This stocking may never win a ribbon, but it was stitched with love. In the end, it’s not flawless stitches that make something a treasure—it’s the love woven into every thread. Cameron’s stocking is now part of our family’s story, ready to capture memories as he grows with each passing Christmas. I hope Santa fills it with goodies for my grandson for many Christmases to come. 

18 slaves awarded to minor children of Thompson Malone

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

From the estate of Thompson Malone

Georgia, Greene County. Rec’d Dec 9th 1863 of Laura and Joseph H. Malone, Admix. & Admr. of the estate of Thompson Malone, dec’d, the following negroes to wit Abram, Martha and her children Joe and William, Cain, Humphrey, Sally, Bera, Amanda, Chaney, Gus, Jelda and her child Cornelius, Retta, Jule and her child Edward, Celia & Hannah, in full of the negro property awarded by the Commissioners on the division of the negroes to the four minor children of said Thompson Malone, dec’d, whose guardian I am. Johnson Boswell, Guardian

Reference

Estate Records: Greene County, Georgia, Probate Estate Case Files 1790–1943, image 636, FamilySearch.

James Athya, another update

James Athya, born in 1919 in Bellshill, Lanark, Scotland to Robert Durie Athya and Margaret Shaw, was the eldest of three siblings and a first cousin once removed to my husband. After losing his mother to encephalitis lethargica at age six, James emigrated to America in 1930 with his father and siblings, settling first in Pennsylvania and later in Ohio. His brief but adventurous life included a stint in jail for train-hopping en route to Mardi Gras, work at a mission in West Virginia, and family lore that he traveled with a carnival before his untimely death in a Florida car accident around 1941.

I don’t like leaving family history sketches unfinished, but James’ story has yet to be fully uncovered—though piece by piece, details continue to emerge through online records.

I first wrote about James in 2019 (link here), when I lacked both an accurate birth record and any documentation to confirm the family’s account of his death. In 2021 (link here), I published an update after locating his World War II draft registration card, which provided a birth date but listed an incorrect birthplace. Since then, I’ve obtained his official birth record from Scotland’s People, confirming both the date and location.

Today, I can confirm at least part of the family lore: James did die in an automobile accident. In early November, I received an alert from Newspapers.com linking to an article published in The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, Florida) on March 4, 1942. It reported that a man identified by his Social Security card as James Athya, age 22, of Steubenville, Ohio, died at a Jacksonville hospital the night before from injuries sustained in a car-truck collision near Kingsland, Georgia. Three others were injured, though no further details were provided. James, listed as a seaman, was taken to Estes-Krauss Funeral Home while officials attempted to locate his relatives in Steubenville. I searched for additional coverage in both Florida and Ohio newspapers but found no further information.

I also discovered a Find A Grave memorial created in 2023 (after my 2021 update) indicating that James is buried at Fort Steuben Burial Estates in Wintersville, Jefferson County, Ohio. The memorial notes that his burial location was found in the cemetery’s records on page 3 of the Digital Shoebox Project, though no plot number was listed. At this point, I cannot confirm whether his remains were returned to Ohio or if the stone was placed in his memory. I submitted a photo request earlier this year but have not received a response.

I hope to one day locate an obituary or other record that confirms whether James was indeed buried in Ohio. I also continue searching for any evidence that he worked with a carnival, as family stories suggest—another chapter in his adventurous life that remains just out of reach. Until then, his story remains open—unfinished, but not forgotten.

Reference

• Auto, Truck Collision Fatal to Ohio Man, Three Others Hurt, The Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville, Florida, March 4, 1942.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/261178523/james-athya: accessed November 2, 2025), memorial page for James Athya (3 Oct 1919–6 Mar 1942), Find a Grave Memorial ID 261178523, citing Fort Steuben Burial Estates, Wintersville, Jefferson County, Ohio, USA; maintained by Syndi (contributor 18484625).
• James Athya, Statutory Registers Births 625/3 476, National Records of Scotland, 1919.