Ally loaned to Cornelia (Davis) Preston

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

Davis to Preston

Georgia, Greene County
January 7th, 1862

This is to certify that we, the undersigned, being called on by Samuel Davis to witness the loan of a certain negro slave of bright mulatto color, about nine years of age named Ally, to his daughter Cornelia, now Mrs. Preston, do certify on oath that said Samuel Davis distinctly stated on delivery of said slave to his said daughter that said slave was simply a loan to be returned at the option of said Davis. 

Sworn to and subscribed before me J. W. Godkin, J.P., on the day above mentioned.

Jas. W. Godkin, J.P.

James Burk
Isaac R. Hall

Recorded this 7th day of January 1862.
Isaac R. Hall, Clerk

Reference

Greene County, Georgia, Deed Books 1852–1857, 1857–1862, image 537 of 555, www.familysearch.org. 

Edith McCrum Smith, an updated sketch

This is an update of a sketch I posted for Edith in 2012. I felt it did not tell her whole life story so decided to expand on it.

Edith McCrum Smith, daughter of John Milton Smith and Amanda Larimer Horne, was born in Apollo, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania on March 4, 1888. She was the third child of seven—Benjamin Gordon Smith, George Nelson Smith, Edith McCrum Smith, Howard Stanley Smith, Helen Margaret Smith, Bertha Edna Smith, and John Thompson Smith. She is my husband’s great-aunt with their nearest common relatives being her parents.

Neither the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or Armstrong County recorded births during the period 1855 to 1892, so unfortunately there is no birth certificate for Edith. Instead, you have to look at church birth and baptism records. Luckily, there is a Register of Baptisms for Apollo’s First Presbyterian Church, which is apparently where the Smith family worshiped. On page 140, I found six of the seven Smith children listed. The entire family is grouped together, so they were apparently re-written from other entries, or perhaps the church was catching up on member information and it was compiled at that point. Within the entries, I found several discrepancs, with two of them related to Edith:

• The family name—Smith—was not included at all. The person recording the children simply listed “J. M. & Amanda his wife” in the “Parents’ Names” column, leaving their last name out in the “Names” column.
• Ben should have been recorded as Benjamin.
• Edith was recorded as Elizabeth. I have found no other record showing her with that name.
• Edith’s birthday was recorded as March 11, not March 4.
• I have always been told Bertha’s name was “Bertha Edna Smith” not Edna Bertha. It could be either. Regardless, in this list she was recorded as Elva, not Edna.

Apollo’s First Presbyterian Church baptism record (first page)

I found a second First Presbyterian Church record listing the Smith children individually, although not all of them. Edith was one of the children not listed. Among the discrepancies in this record were the following:

• Page 154 records Benjamin as Bennie.
• Page 158 records George’s birth year as 1886, not 1885.
• Page 164 records Howard but does not include a birthdate.
• Page 178 included both Helen and Bertha. Helen’s birth year was recorded as 1896, not 1895. Bertha’s was recorded as January 22 rather than the 24th. 

Second First Presbyterian Church baptism record

I highlight these discrepancies to demonstrate how records can be inaccurate. With that said, my husband and I are in possession of a red memo book that Bertha left behind. Inside the book, she wrote birth and death dates for at least two generations of this Smith family. On two different occasions, she recorded Edith’s birth as March 4 vs. March 11. 

Both entries from Bertha's red memo book

Further down in this post, you can see that Edith’s tombstone is very aged and difficult to read. The photo was probably taken 20 years ago. I cannot remember if I took it when visiting the cemetery with my mother-in-law, or if it was taken by another researcher I once worked with. It could be either. Whatever the case, I was not aware of the baptism record at the time so have used the birthdate provided by Edith’s sister, Bertha, and by the birthdate recorded on her death certificate—March 4. Now back to the baptism record, the second page record does not tell us much, but does record Edith’s death date. 

Apollo’s First Presbyterian Church baptism record (second page)

On June 25, 1900, Edith and her family lived in Washington, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Edith’s parents had been married for 18 years. Her mother was enumerated as having had six children, all of which were living. Her father was a rougher, operating “roughing mill roll stands to reduce steel billets, blooms, and slabs to specified dimensions” in a sheet mill. Her brother Ben worked as a clerk in some sort of depot (I am unable to read the type of depot in the census record). George, Edith, and Howard were attending school. Her brother John was born after this census was taken.

At some point in her short life, Edith contracted measles, resulting in her going blind. Her parents sent her to the Western Pennsylvania Institution for the Blind in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, probably to learn the skills now requred to get her through life.

Western Pennsylvania Institution for the Blind. Photo used with permission of My Genealogy Hound, http://mygenealogyhound.com/index.html.

About October 8, 1906, Edith contracted typhoid fever and was admitted to Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh where she was attended by Dr. Joseph A. Baird. He last saw her October 23, one day before her October 24th death. A week earlier, 163 cases of typhoid fever had been reported in Pittsburgh, with several ending in death. At the age of 18, Edith’s parents buried her at Apollo’s Riverview Cemetery on October 26. Although her death came first, she shares a tombstone with her parents and sister, Helen. As mentioned above, Edith’s side of the stone is difficult to read. 

Edith’s death certificate listed her occupation as school girl. Like her sister Helen, Edith had heart trouble. She never married or had children.

Edith's death certificate

The photo of Edith below is actually a button pin and is the size of a quarter. I wrote about the pin in 2016. You can read that post here. 

References

• Bertha Smith Athya red memo book.
• Deaths of One Week: Typhoid Fever Claims Several Victims and Many New Cases of the Disease Are Reported, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, October 26, 1906..
• Edith Smith Certificate of Death no. 100243, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Bureau of Vital Statistics, 1906.
• How to Find Pennsylvania Birth Records; https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/How_to_Find_Pennsylvania_Birth_Records.
• Personal visit to Riverview Cemetery, Apollo, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania.
• Rougher: A description for the rougher job; https://job-descriptions.org/rougher.html. 
• U.S. Federal Census, Washington, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, 1900.
• U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701–1970, Apollo, Pennsylvania, First Presbyterian Church, Baptisms, Births, Deaths, 1904–1907. 

Beck and Amey sold to Ezekiel Park

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

State of Georgia, Greene County. I have this day sold unto Ezekiel Park one certain negro woman named Beck together with a certain negro child named Amey, the rights and title of said negroes I do hereby warrant and defend unto the said Ezekiel Park, his heirs and assigns forever given under my hand this 1st day of May 1794.

John P. Davis
Test

Peyton Smith J.P.
Registered 14th of May 1794

Reference

Greene County, Georgia, Deeds 1785–1792, 1793–1802, image 442 of 911, www.familysearch.org. 

Fur and family ties: A look at Bertha Smith Athya’s Photo Archive

My husband and brother-in-law recently watched the 1931 movie “Cimarron,” starring Richard Dix and Irene Dunne. During the film, someone remarked about the women wearing fur stoles. This conversation made me think of my husband’s grandmother, Bertha Smith Athya, and her photo archive, which contains several photos of young women and a child draped in furs, including the heads, arms, and legs of the animal pelts. These practical accessories would have been wrapped around the shoulders and could be tied off in a knot or clasped shut with a brooch. They were popular in the 1920s and 1930s and would have been a warm and fashionable accessory for a young woman to wear. 

Bertha, born in January 1898, lived in Armstrong and Westmoreland Counties in Pennsylvania during that period. There winters were bitterly cold, with heavy snowfall. Survival meant doing whatever it took to keep warm. Bertha had four brothers, likely contributing to a lively household. These brothers, possibly avid hunters and trappers would have had access to animal pelts—potentially the very furs you see in this post.

In the photo below, Bertha is wearing a pelt-like white fox fur scarf, complete with the head, legs, and tail. The scarf not only provided warmth but also added a touch of elegance to her winter attire.

I believe the woman in the photo below is Bertha as well, wearing the same white fox fur scarf.

In the next three photos, we see Bertha’s eldest son, John, born in June 1925. Judging by his appearance, he seems to be around four or five years old. Interestingly, John is wearing what appears to be the same white fox fur scarf that his mother wore earlier.

 

 

 

The young woman in the next photo remains unknown to me, yet she was likely a friend to Bertha. Her photo album is filled with images of young adults, often set against the same backdrop. Although I have looked at this photo many times, it was not until now that I truly noticed its details. My initial focus was drawn to her head and the large bow she is wearing rather than the animal pelt. However, this time, I noticed the circular hair clasp and the necklaces she is wearing. I would classify the fur she is wearing as a shawl rather than a scarf.

I believe this woman in the next photo is Nina Hobaugh, a close friend of Bertha’s. In her photo album, there were several pictures of the two of them together, and luckily at least one was labeled. Nina’s shawl looks a lot like one worn by the young woman in the above photo, and it might even be the same one. I recall my mother-in-law sharing a memory about girls at her school wearing identical shirts or sweaters for their school portraits. Perhaps Bertha and her friends did this as well. 

Silvey sold by Thomas Gray

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

I Know all men by these presents that I, Thomas Gray, of the State of Georgia and County of Greene hath bargained, sold, aliened, and confirmed unto Wm. McGoch, of the State and County aforesaid, one negro woman slave called Silvey to the only proper use, benefit, and behoof of the Wm. McGoch, his heirs, and assigns forever, and the said Thomas doth covenant and agree for himself, his heirs, executors, administrators that he, the said Thomas Gray, will warrant and forever defend the title and property of the said slave unto the said Wm. McGoch, his heirs and assigns against all manner of person or persons whatsoever lawfully claiming the same. In witness whereof the said Thos. Gray hath hereunto set his hands and seal this 23 of November 1792.

Thomas Gray
John Carson

I certify that John came before and made oath he was a subscribing witness to the within bill of sale assigned by Thomas Gray for the contents within mentioned.

Sworn to before me this 10th July 1793.
G. W. Foster, J.P.
Registered the 10th of July 1793. G. W. Foster

Reference

Greene County, Georgia, Deeds 1785–1792, 1793–1802, image 429 of 911, www.familysearch.org. 

From the photo archives: the Compton family of Nutter Fort

The photos I am sharing today belong to Ralph Murphy’s slide collection, which my husband received from his Aunt Jean in 2012. This extensive collection comprises 15 boxes of slides, totaling thousands, all captured by Uncle Ralph. These images span the years from 1947 to 1984. Among them are scenic shots from their travels across the United States, glimpses of family members, and candid moments with friends and co-workers. I digitized most of these slides several years ago, and they continue to bring me joy.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Ralph and Jean Murphy shared cherished moments with their neighbors, Warren and Peggy (Pitts) Compton, along with their sons Gregory (Greg) and Philip. The two families resided across the street from each other on West Virginia Avenue in Nutter Fort, Harrison County, West Virginia. Ralph, who always kept his camera close at hand, took a series of photos that captured the essence of their lives during that time, such as drag racing, springtime in the neighborhood, Blackwater Falls after a snowstorm, a Christmas celebration, a picnic by the lake, and even a portrait photo session with the family.

Warren and Peggy standing in front of a 1940 Ford Coupe

The box of slides containing the photos posted here contained an index that indicated these people were the Compton family. Once I discovered that, I did a little research on ancestry.com and quickly found Warren and Peggy living in Nutter Fort. I next shared a couple of the photos with Beth, my contact at the Clarksburg History Museum, knowing she could share the photos with others who may be able to identify the family. Pete, one of the museum volunteers, and a racing enthusiast with deep knowledge for West Virginia and the tri-state area, identified the black hot rod featured in the photos. He promptly reached out to Warren’s oldest son, Greg, who still resides in the area. Pete and Beth orchestrated a virtual call, allowing us to share these long-lost family memories with Greg. 

The call was initially scheduled to begin at 2 PM and last for one hour. However, as the conversation unfolded, we found ourselves engrossed in stories and laughter, and before we knew it, it was 7 PM! My husband sat in on the call as well and was able to share some of his memories of Ralph and Jean with the others. 

Meeting Beth and Pete, whom I have been corresponding with since last summer, was an absolute pleasure. Their genuine warmth and enthusiasm for history extended far beyond our call. But the true icing on the cake was the opportunity to connect with Greg—one of the subjects of this group of photos. Greg fondly remembered Ralph and Jean, who he said were always kind to him. They were not just neighbors; they embraced him as part of their own family. And it is with Greg’s permission that I share these photos.

Warren and his brother Gerald shared a passion for race cars. As skilled fabricators in the racing world, they owned the Compton Sheet Metal and Roofing Company. Their craftsmanship extended beyond roofs and metalwork; it fueled their love for speed and adrenaline. 

In the late 1950s, a local car club known as the Centipede Car Club (The Centipedes), raced at the North Central West Virginia Airport (CKB), also referred to as the Benedum Airport. On Sunday afternoons during the years 1958–1959, this public airport in Bridgeport, Harrison County, West Virginia, transformed into their drag racing playground with the airport’s runway acting as their track. 

The three photos below capture moments from those days at the airport. In the first photo, a hot rod convertible, once owned by the late Nick Alvaro, takes center stage. Remarkably, this car still exists and now belongs to his son.

Warren is the man wearing the reddish colored shirt

The next three photos showcase Warren’s exceptional craftsmanship and passion. In these photos, he proudly stands alongside a silver slingshot dragster, sitting on a trailer. What makes this so impressive is the fact that Warren personally constructed both the dragster and the trailer. Both were crafted in the Broadway neighborhood at their metal shop. The Compton house in Nutter Fort appears in the background.

 

Within Ralph’s photo archive, the next three photos are labeled ‘Gregory Compton.’ In the first photo, Greg is standing alongside Ralph and Jean’s beloved dog, Boogie. Boogie was a faithful companion, joining Ralph and Jean on countless adventures. The dogwood tree beside Greg was planted shortly after Ralph and Jean moved into their Nutter Fort home. Greg fondly remembered playing with the green truck he is holding in the photos, once sold at the racetrack.

 

The next three photos of Greg and his mother, Peggy, capture the warmth and joy of Christmas morning at the Compton family home, likely in 1959. Greg fondly remembered the curtains shown in the photo.

 

Clarksburg, during the winter of 1959–1960, encountered the 11th snowiest season in its history, with a total snowfall of 47.5 inches. It is safe to assume that the following group of photos was captured during that snowy season. Undoubtedly experiencing a touch of cabin fever, the two families drove to Blackwater Falls State Park, located approximately 74 miles from Nutter Fort in West Virginia. 

Peggy, Warren, and Greg

 

Warren, Peggy, and Greg

Warren, Peggy, Jean, and Greg

Greg

At first glance, the car in the next photo bears a striking resemblance to the one featured in the first springtime photo above. But, upon closer inspection, it becomes evident that it is a different vehicle altogether.

Warren

Warren and Jean

Lodge at Blackwater Falls

Lodge at Blackwater Falls

Blackwater Falls, one of the few times it has been frozen over to this degree

Peggy

Greg, Peggy, and Jean

This next series of photos show the two families enjoying a day at Tygart Lake, located four miles south of Grafton, Taylor County, West Virginia. Ralph owned the AristoCraft Torpedo 14 Boat seen in the photos; he and Jean often took it to Tygart Lake for boating and skiing. In fact, they were members of the Tygart Lake Boat Club. You can see the club logo in two photos in this series. My husband remembers the boat was lightweight and fast, and fun to ride in. He recalls riding in his parent’s boat alongside Ralph’s. Ralph would pass them, make a sharp turn, and spray their boat with water. Ralph’s boat was his pride and joy; he absolutely loved it. When not on the water, Ralph parked it inside the lower garage of their Nutter Fort house, safeguarding it from the elements.

Greg, Peggy, and Warren

Greg

Warren

 

Peggy

Warren and Peggy

Warren, Peggy, and Jean

Peggy

Greg

Boogie and Greg

Peggy and Warren

Ralph in his boat

A random photo of Greg.

The last series of photos was grouped together with other portrait-style photos. In this collection, you will find Warren and Peggy’s second son, Philip, in addition to Greg.

Peggy and Warren

Peggy, Philip, and Greg

Philip

 

Greg

Greg

Peggy

 

Peggy and Philip

Warren and Greg

 

Warren

I hope you enjoyed this group of photos from Ralph’s archives. To see others from his collection, click here.

Reference

Snowiest Winter Season in Clarksburg History, Extreme Weather Watch; https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/cities/clarksburg/snowiest-winter-season.