Hayden Edgar George

The George family (from the left:
James. Julia standing in front of James,
mother Mary with daughter Raleigh in her lap,
Hayden standing beside his mother, and
Ennis standing in front of Hayden).

Hayden Edgar George, son of Raleigh David George and Mary Willie Hollingsworth, was born in Smyrna, Cobb County, Georgia on July 21, 1882. He was the third child of six—James England George, Bertie George, Hayden Edgar George, Ennis Adele George, Julia Cleo George, and Raleigh Mae George. Hayden was the husband of my first great grand aunt, Lillie Della (Dell) Lankford. Dell was the sister of my great grandmother, Alice Beman Lankford.

Hayden was just five years old when his older sister Bertie died in 1887. She was buried at Smyrna Presbyterian Campground Cemetery in Conyers, Rockdale County, Georgia.

Raleigh David George died in Rockdale County, Georgia on March 23, 1891 leaving Hayden without a father at the young age of three. Raleigh was buried in a plot beside Hayden’s sister Bertie at Smyrna Presbyterian Campground Cemetery.

Hayden’s mother Mary and his sisters Julia, Ennis, and Raleigh were living in Doraville, DeKalb County, Georgia when the census enumerator came to visit on June 1, 1900 but Hayden was not living with them. His older brother James was living in Greene County with his wife Gussie and father-in-law William Harris McCarty, a Civil War veteran. I’ve looked in the surrounding areas in Doraville and Greene County but so far haven’t been able to find Hayden during that census year. He would have been 18 years old so certainly could be living on his own by then. But where? Hayden’s mother Mary was a dress maker and his siblings were at school. His sister Ennis was enumerated twice in 1900—the first time on June 1 with her mother as noted above. She was enumerated as Eunice on that record. The second time was on June 6 and the census enumerator recorded her as a pupil at the Georgia Academy for the Blind on College Street in Macon, Bibb County, Georgia.

On April 15, 1910, Hayden lived in Penfield, Greene County, Georgia with his brother James and his family. James’ father-in-law William lived with them as well. Hayden’s sister Julia and her husband Augustus Hamilton Clark lived next door. Julia’s neighbor was my 2nd great grandmother Mary Ann (Wilson) Lankford (widowed and 58) and two of her children, Oliver Wilson Lankford (age 20) and Lillie Della Lankford (Dell, age 17). Five months later, Hayden married Dell, Mary’s daughter with James C. Lankford, in Greene County on September 19. Together they had four children—Dell Louise George, Mary Winnie George, Marguerite Elizabeth George, and Hayden Edgar George Jr. They didn’t wait long to start their family. One day before their first anniversary, Hayden and Dell welcomed daughter Dell Louise, who was most likely born in Greene County on September 18, 1911. A year and a half later daughter Mary Winnie was born in Greene County on March 12, 1913.

Greene County, Georgia marriage record for Hayden and Dell

Sometime after Mary’s birth in 1913, Hayden moved his family to Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia. They were living at 53 Crew Street when Hayden registered for the World War I draft on September 12, 1918. He was working as a switchman for a freight yard at the time. Hayden recorded his physical description as tall and of medium build, light blue eyes, and light hair. Although only 36 years old, Hayden was already balding, noting that he was “bald on top.”

It's believed the man is Hayden
but that needs to be confirmed.
The woman is unknown.

By January 17, 1920, Hayden, Dell, and their three children had moved a few doors down to 65 Crew Street where they rented a home. Hayden switched occupations and was now an automobile machinist. He told the census enumerator that he could read and write. An early Christmas present arrived on December 6, 1920 in the form of baby Marguerite. I can’t find a birth record for Marguerite but assume she was born in Atlanta. I assume that for Hayden Jr. as well, born on March 15, 1922 since both the 1924 and 1929 Atlanta city directories show Hayden and Dell living in Atlanta. In 1924, they lived at 505 Pulliam Street. By 1929, they had moved back to Crew Street, living at house number 608. Hayden continued to be a machinist through the 1920s.

On April 8, 1930, Hayden and his family lived at 429 Crew Street in Ward 2 of Atlanta where he rented a home. The census enumerator noted that Hayden was 28 and Dell was 18 when they married. He also incorrectly recorded Hayden’s name as Clayden. Hayden continued to support his family as an automobile machinist. Dell wasn’t working but their daughter Winnie worked as a telephone operator. Atlanta city directories for 1935 and 1936 show Hayden and Dell living at 62 Clarke Street SW. In 1935, Hayden worked as a foreman but no occupation was listed in 1936. Was he working? He was only 54 years old so too young for retirement at that age.

Hayden’s mother Mary (Hollingsworth) George died on January 6, 1935. She was buried beside her husband and daughter Bertie at Smyrna Presbyterian Campground Cemetery in Conyers.

A year and a half later, Hayden died in Fulton County, Georgia on September 18, 1936. He was buried at Penfield Cemetery in Penfield. If I recall correctly, he’s buried near my great grandmother Alice Lankford Callaway. I remember seeing Hayden’s grave every time I’ve been to Penfield Cemetery and over the years, that’s been quite a few times.

Hayden's stone at Penfield Cemetery