Jim and Lavina named in Will of Jesse Booles

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

Greene County, Georgia

In the name of God, Amen, I, Jesse Booles of the above county and state, being reduced low by illness and viewing life as uncertain, but being of sound mind and memory, do make and constitute this my last will and testament, viz:

Item 1st. I will that all my lands, together with my stock and all other of my property not hereinafter disposed of, be sold, and from the proceeds thereof all my just debts be paid.

Item 2nd. I will to my beloved wife Sarah one negro man by the name of Jim and one negro woman Lavina, together with her increase; two beds, bedsteads and furniture; one set of walnut tables and one pine cupboard during her lifetime or widowhood, and upon her death or marriage to be equally divided between my children Emily J. Bowls, Nancy F. Fuller, Seaborn W. Bowls, and one‑fourth part to Delilah H. Barnwell, to be managed as herein after directed.

Item 3rd. I will to my daughter Emily J. Bowls one bed, bedstead and furniture and fifty dollars.

Item 4th. I will to my son Seaborn W. Bowls one bed, bedstead and furniture and fifty dollars, and the expenses of one year’s schooling at a good country school.

Item 5th. I will to my daughter Delilah H. Barnwell one‑fourth part of my estate not heretofore disposed of, to be held in trust by my executors for the aforesaid Delilah and that she have all the interest and benefits arising from the same during her natural lifetime; and at her death, if she has no heirs of her body, to return to the rest of my children or their legal representatives, but provided she shall have a surviving child or children, it shall be equally divided between the same.

Item 6th. I will that the other three‑fourths of my estate be equally divided between my children Emily J. Bowls, Nancy F. Fuller, and Seaborn W. Bowls.

Item 7th. I will that my executors have power to make such division. By a division of my negroes or by a sale of the same, which in their wisdom they may conceive most advantageous to my legatees.

Item 8th. I constitute and appoint Thomas C. Janes and Bivin Bowls my lawful executors to this my last will and testament to execute the same according to the tenure thereof.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this seventh of March eighteen hundred and twenty‑six.

Signed and sealed in presence of:

Francis West
Thos. Moseley
Jno. Wilson

Jesse Booles (Seal)

Note: Lavina's nickname is Viny as shown in a notice published in the Southern Recorder, Milledgeville, Georgia, on August 13, 1827.

Reference

Jesse Booles, Georgia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1742–1992.

Pearl C. Durham

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.

Pearl C. Durham, daughter of Thomas Rufus Durham and Mary Ann Cordelia “Mollie” Reynolds, was born in Alabama on May 24, 1878. Although no record has been found to confirm her middle name, her Find A Grave memorial lists it as Cordelia. Given that Cordelia was her mother’s middle name, it is possible that Pearl shared it. She was the second of four children—William “Willie” Marshall, Pearl C., Florence, and Elizabeth “Lizzie” T. Durham.

Pearl is the wife of the brother-in-law of my 1st cousin 4x removed, connecting through Robert Chester Lankford, brother of my 3rd great grandfather, James Meriweather Lankford.

On June 9, 1880, the Durham family lived in District 138 of Greene County, Georgia. Thomas worked as a farmer while Mollie kept the household. Pearl, age two, and her brother Willie, age four, were the only children in the home at that time.

Pearl married Wesley Bluford Young, son of Samuel Yancy Young and Matilda N. Guill, on December 15, 1897, in Greene County. Wesley was 12 years older than Pearl. Together they had five children: Ernest Willie, Thomas Yancy, Gladys E., Margaret “Florene”, and Wesley Bluford Young Jr. Thomas’s middle name honored his paternal grandfather, who shared the same middle name.

In June 1900, Pearl and Wesley were living in Woodville, Greene County, where they rented a home and Wesley worked as a farmer. Their first child, Ernest, was the only child in the household. Pearl’s father died on July 11, 1909, and was buried at Woodville Cemetery.

By April 1910, the Young family had moved to Sparta in Militia District 102 of Hancock County. Pearl had given birth to four children, all of whom were living. Wesley’s 40‑year‑old uncle, Mike Young, lived with them. Both Wesley and Mike worked as carpenters, while Mollie maintained the home. Everyone except Gladys and Florene could read and write. This census listed Pearl’s birthplace as Georgia rather than Alabama. Pearl’s sister Florence died on June 27, 1914, two days before her birthday, and was buried at Woodville Cemetery. When Ernest registered for the World War I draft around 1917–1918, he listed his father—then living in Stephens, Oglethorpe County—as his nearest relative.

By January 1920, the Young family had settled in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, living on Stephens Road. All members of the household were literate. Wesley farmed with the help of his son Thomas, while Ernest was attending business college. Pearl’s sister Lizzie died on February 14, 1924, and was buried at Woodville Cemetery.

By April 1930, the children had left home, and Pearl and Wesley had returned to Woodville, where they rented a home on Woodville Road. Once again, the census recorded Pearl’s birthplace as Georgia. Wesley was now working as a grocery store merchant. Pearl’s mother died on February 14, 1933, and was buried at Woodville Cemetery.

In April 1940, Pearl and Wesley were still living in Woodville, in the same home they had occupied since 1935. At age 74, Wesley was no longer able to work and had no income. Pearl had completed the second year of high school, while Wesley had a sixth‑grade education. Their daughter Gladys, her husband Lawrence Steele, and grandchildren Edward, John, and Marilyn lived next door. Wesley died on May 16, 1947, and was buried at Bairdstown Cemetery. Their son Wesley Jr. served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

By April 1950, Pearl—now widowed—was living alone in Woodville at age 71.

Pearl’s son Ernest died in Cook County, Illinois, on November 19, 1969. His remains were returned to Georgia and buried at Bairdstown Cemetery. A month later, on December 20, 1969, Pearl died in Union Point, Greene County. She too was buried at Bairdstown Cemetery.

References

• Ernest Willie Young, U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52989702/thomas_rufus-durham: accessed June 18, 2026), memorial page for Thomas Rufus Durham (30 Dec 1847–11 Jul 1909), Find a Grave Memorial ID 52989702, citing Woodville Cemetery, Woodville, Greene County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Samuel Taylor Geer (contributor 46925792).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52989703/mary_ann_cordelia-durham: accessed June 18, 2026), memorial page for Mary Ann Cordelia “Mollie” Reynolds Durham (16 Dec 1849–14 Feb 1933), Find a Grave Memorial ID 52989703, citing Woodville Cemetery, Woodville, Greene County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Samuel Taylor Geer (contributor 46925792).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52989705/florence-durham: accessed June 18, 2026), memorial page for Florence Durham (29 Jun 1881–27 Jun 1914), Find a Grave Memorial ID 52989705, citing Woodville Cemetery, Woodville, Greene County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Samuel Taylor Geer (contributor 46925792).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52989704/elizabeth_t-durham: accessed June 18, 2026), memorial page for Elizabeth T. Durham (11 May 1883–14 Feb 1924), Find a Grave Memorial ID 52989704, citing Woodville Cemetery, Woodville, Greene County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Samuel Taylor Geer (contributor 46925792).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52991531/pearl-young: accessed June 18, 2026), memorial page for Pearl Durham Young (24 May 1878–20 Dec 1969), Find a Grave Memorial ID 52991531, citing Bairdstown Cemetery, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Samuel Taylor Geer (contributor 46925792).
• Pearl D Young, Georgia, U.S., Death Index, 1919–1998.
• Pearl Durham, Georgia, U.S., Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• Pearl Durham, U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936–2007.
• Personal visit to Bairdstown Cemetery, Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.
• U.S. Federal Census, Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, District 138, Greene County, Georgia, 1880.
• U.S. Federal Census, Sparta, Militia District 102, Hancock County, Georgia, 1910.
• U.S. Federal Census, Union Point, Greene County, Georgia, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, Woodville, Greene County, Georgia, 1900, 1930, 1940, 1950.
• Wesley Bluford Young Jr., U.S., Veterans' Gravesites, ca. 1775–2019. 

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. 

The Georgia Journal, Milledgeville, Georgia, April 13, 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 of Jesse Booles, vs John Wilson, jr.—property pointed out in the fi fa.

WILLIAM GREER, D.Sh’ff. 

Reference

The Georgia Journal, Milledgeville, Georgia, p. 4, April 13, 1824. 

Mountain State Forest Festival Parade (May 1963)

The photos I’m sharing today come from the Ralph Murphy photo archive, which my husband received from his Aunt Jean in 2012. This collection includes 21 boxes of slides—thousands of images Ralph captured between 1947 and 1984. His slides document scenic travels across the United States, family gatherings, and candid moments with friends and co‑workers. I digitized the collection in 2015, and they still bring me joy today.

These particular photos show another parade—this time, part of the Mountain State Forest Festival held in Elkins, West Virginia.

The festival, founded in 1930, began as a community effort inspired by regional homecoming and harvest celebrations. With guidance from organizers of Winchester, Virginia’s Apple Blossom Festival, Elkins created a fall event highlighting West Virginia’s forests and natural beauty. The first festival was a success and has since grown into a major annual tradition—run largely by volunteers, expanded to more than a week of events, and interrupted only during World War II. In 1963, the Forest Festival took place in Elkins from October 2–6.

Centennial‑Year Celebration
The 1963 Mountain State Forest Festival marked West Virginia’s centennial with its trademark autumn pageantry. Events included parades, folk dancing, wildlife exhibits, wood‑chopping contests, and the coronation of Queen Silvia XXVII.

Special guests featured Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Band, Metropolitan Opera star Eleanor Steber, and winners of the State Centennial Photographic Contest. Thousands of visitors gathered to enjoy the colorful fall scenery and festivities dedicated to preserving the state’s timberlands.

Centennial Parade Circuit
In 1963, the Elkins Forest Festival played a statewide role. Its longtime director, Phil K. Harness, was known for staging smooth, high‑energy parades in Elkins. That reputation earned him a new assignment during the Centennial year—helping organize a season of themed parades across West Virginia.

Throughout the summer and fall, a core set of professionally built floats traveled from town to town, forming the backbone of each celebration. Local bands, marching groups, and community entries filled out the rest, giving every stop its own personality.

The parade series began in Clarksburg (May 4), then moved through Huntington, Bluefield, Charleston, Martinsburg, Weirton, Parkersburg, Wheeling, and Oak Hill, before returning to Elkins in early October—just in time to merge with that year’s Forest Festival.

The Clarksburg parade alone included 20–30 floats and 40–50 bands, lasting about three and a half hours. Aunt Jean labeled this group of slides “Parade May 1963.” The photos you see below were captured by Uncle Ralph.

Queen Silvia XXVII—Ann Clayton Bradt
Ann Clayton Bradt of Martinsburg was chosen as Queen Silvia XXVII, reigning over the festival’s royal court. A college student majoring in elementary education, she had previously earned honors as Miss Berkeley County and first runner‑up for Miss Shenandoah Apple Blossom. Known for her academic excellence, community involvement, and love of teaching, Ann represented West Virginia’s grace and achievement during the centennial celebration.

You’ll see her in the photo below, identified through yearbook images from James Madison University (1963) and Shepherd University (1964).

Ann Clayton Bradt, Queen Silvia XXVI (1963)

The festival’s royal court included 36–45 members (newspaper accounts vary). I’ve confirmed 23 names: Judith Shelton, Marsha Widney, Elizabeth Parker Welton, Elizabeth Lee Harness, Mary Gretchen Singleton, Mary Alicia Tutwiler, Wendy Robertson Walker, Carolyn Tyson Rice, Jo Anne Sheridan, Candy Blair, Elizabeth Kaye Fox, Mary Elizabeth Morgan, Carolyn Sue Howard, Cynthia Parcell Neal, Mary Rachel Smoot, Sally Hresan, Olivia Bibb, Patricia Lee Jones, Sharen Ann Stover, Bettina Altizer, Cheryl Sue Horton, Linn Marie Bland, and Marie Diane Buck.

Centennial Queen—Nancy Grace Conwell
In addition to Queen Silvia’s coronation, the festival featured West Virginia’s Centennial Queen, a one‑time statewide honor marking the state’s 100th anniversary, bestowed on Nancy Grace Conwell. Her presence linked the Elkins celebration to the broader centennial festivities held across the state that year.

You’ll see her in the photo below, identified through Beckley Post-Herald, The Raleigh Register and Beckley Post-Herald newspaper accounts (1963).

Nancy Grace Conwell, of Clarksburg, West Virginia,
Centennial Queen (1963)

Four women were named Queen finalists: Sandra Lee Ross, Dee Ann Moore, Peggy Catherine Tucker, and Barbara Ann Broadwater. Nancy’s float, along with one for her court, appeared in every parade. Following her coronation, she toured the state throughout 1963, greeting crowds and representing the Centennial spirit.

Nancy was a gifted student and campus leader whose poise, intellect, and creativity earned her recognition statewide. A 1959 graduate of Bridgeport High School, she earned her degree in English and Education from Fairmont State College (1963), where she served as Homecoming Queen, held leadership roles in Gamma Chi Chi and the Young Democrats, and appeared in numerous theatrical productions. After student teaching at Bridgeport High, she taught briefly at Lumberport Middle School.

Her accomplishments culminated in her selection as West Virginia’s Centennial Queen of 1963, placing her at the center of the state’s hundred‑year celebration.

In 1964, Lumberport High School honored her achievements with a yearbook section titled Special Awards Won by Students and Teachers at L.H.S., featuring a photo of Nancy accepting the West Virginia Centennial trophy.

Centennial Floats
Several of Ralph’s photos capture the professional Centennial floats that toured the state. The “100th Anniversary of Emancipation” float celebrated the centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation (1863–1963). Three young women in white gowns represent freedom and progress, and behind them stands a torch of liberty symbolizing enlightenment and emancipation. The float’s red, white, and blue design, with laurel leaves and flags, echoes the Centennial’s patriotic theme. You’ll also notice the official 1963 West Virginia Centennial Commission logo hanging on poles in several of these photos.

West Virginia Centennial Commission,
Official Logo (1963), public domain

The State Capitol float features four princesses seated beside a model of the State Capitol dome, framed by a large white outline of West Virginia with a red star (likely marking Charleston) and the centennial years 1863–1963 spelled out in red letters.

   

Although the image quality isn’t perfect, I hope you enjoy this group of photos from Ralph’s archives. They capture a vivid moment in West Virginia’s history—when local pride and statewide celebration came together in one unforgettable parade.

To see others from his collection, click here.

References

• Ann Bradt, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia (1963), U.S., School Yearbooks, 1900–2016.
• Ann Bradt, Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, West Virginia (1964), U.S., School Yearbooks, 1900–2016.
• Beckley Post-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia, p. 5, July 1, 5, 15, and 29, 1963.
• Centennial Parades Chairman Named, Beckley Post-Herald, The Raleigh Register, Beckley, West Virginia, May 19, 1963.
• Centennial Queen’s Identify to be Withheld Four Months, The Weirton Daily Times, Weirton, West Virginia, December 15, 1962
• Clarksburg Girl Crowned Queen of Centennial, Beckley Post-Herald, The Raleigh Register, Beckley, West Virginia, April 28, 1963.
• Daily Calendar, Beckley Post-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia, July 18, 1963.
• Elkins Forest Fete to Open on Thursday, The Charleston Daily Mail, Charleston, West Virginia, October 1, 1963.
• Festival Maids of Honor Chosen, Beckley Post-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia, July 30, 1963.
• Festival Princess, The Raleigh Register, Beckley, West Virginia, June 20, 1963.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/110796544/nancy_grace-hall: accessed June 13, 2026), memorial page for Nancy Grace Conwell Hall (10 Aug 1941–17 May 2013), Find a Grave Memorial ID 110796544, citing Bridgeport Cemetery, Bridgeport, Harrison County, West Virginia, USA; maintained by Gina (contributor 46846562).
• Forest Festival Princesses, The Charleston Daily Mail, Charleston, West Virginia, July 5, 1963.
• Gowns of Forest Festival Princesses Designed in Fall Shades of Silk Velvet, The Charleston Daily Mail, Charleston, West Virginia, October 1, 1963
• Helps in Staging Centennial Parades, The Raleigh Register, May 21, 1963.
• History of Mountain State Forest Festival; https://www.forestfestival.com/history/. 
• In Elkins Oct. 2–6, Martinsburg Girl Chosen Queen to Reign Over Forest Festival, Beckley Post-Herald, The Raleigh Register, Beckley, West Virginia, July 21, 1963.
• Local Girl Named Princess for Forest Festival Event, Beckley Post-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia, July 11, 1963.
• Logo of the 1963 West Virginia Centennial Commission; https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/images/2751. 
• Named Princess, Beckley Post-Herald, The Raleigh Register, Beckley, West Virginia, June 22, 1963.
• Nancy Conwell, West Virginia, Lumberport High School (1964), U.S. School Yearbooks, 1900–2016.
• Nancy Grace Conwell Centennial Queen, Beckley Post-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia, April 29, 1963.
• Nancy Grace Conwell, West Virginia, Fairmont State University, Fairmont, West Virginia (1964), U.S. School Yearbooks, 1900–2016.
• Princesses Named, Hinton Daily News, Hinton, West Virginia, June 27, 1963.
• Stage Set for Forest Festival, Beckley Post-Herald, The Raleigh Register, Beckley, West Virginia, September 29, 1963.
• The Weirton Daily Times, Weirton, West Virginia, p. 5, June 24, 1963.
• The Woman’s Page, Beckley Post-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia, p. 5, July 8, 1963.
• WVU Coed Selected to Serve in Festival Court, Beckley Post-Herald, The Raleigh Register, Beckley, West Virginia, July 21, 1963. 

Jim, Viny, and child, property of Jesse Booles’ estate

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

Southern Recorder, Milledgeville, Georgia, August 13, 1827

Agreeable to an order of the Inferior court of Greene county, sitting for ordinary purposes, will be sold at the Court-house door, in the town of Greenesboro’ Greene county, on the first Tuesday in September next, three negroes, Jim, a fellow, and Viny and her child, belonging to the estate of Jesse Booles, late of said county, dec’d—sold for the benefit of the creditors of said dec’d.

BIVEN BOOLES, Ex’r. July 11 

Update 7/12/26: Viny is a nickname. Her real name is Lavina as listed in the Last Will and Testament of Jesse Booles.

Reference

Southern Recorder, Milledgeville, Georgia, p. 4, August 13, 1827. 

John Wilson, Virginia Continental Soldier

As part of my ongoing look at the Revolutionary War in honor of America’s 250th birthday, I turned to the service of John Wilson, my 5th great‑grandfather, connecting to my Lankford line.

John Wilson, an early settler of Greene County, Georgia, was born about 1750 in Virginia. In 1779, he enlisted in the Virginia Line of the Continental Army, serving as a Private in Captain Benjamin Taliaferro’s Company, Colonel Richard Parker’s Virginia Regiment. His term of enlistment was for 18 months, and he first joined under Recruiting Officer Richard Worsham at Petersburg, Virginia, where the regiment was organized under General Charles Scott. The company’s officers included Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Parker, Adjutant Thomas Parker, Major John Cowell, 1st Lieutenant Beverley Stubblefield, and 2nd Lieutenant Samuel Sildon.

John marched south with Colonel Parker’s Virginia regiment as part of the reinforcements sent to the Continental Army’s Southern Department during the critical 1780 campaign. He was present during the long Siege of Charleston, South Carolina, where about 5,500 American defenders faced more than 10,000 British troops supported by a powerful naval fleet. The Virginia Continentals endured constant shelling, dwindling food, and exhausting work as British trenches crept closer each day. Colonel Parker was killed during the fighting, and by May 12 the defenders were outnumbered, outgunned, and surrounded. When the Americans surrendered on May 12–13, John was taken prisoner—but, as he later recalled, he “did not remain long,” escaping captivity and making his way back to Virginia. He eventually received a discharge from Lieutenant Samuel Sildon, though the document had been lost by the time of his 1832 pension application, in which he described these events from memory.

A surviving pay calculation in his widow Elizabeth’s pension file confirms that John ultimately served 4 months and 15 days, with his pay totaling $23.16. The document lists payment “4 months at $5 … 20.00; 15 days … 2.50; short paid 10¢,” a typical rate for Virginia militia service in 1781. John died before receiving this final payment, and in 1835 Elizabeth authorized attorney Anthony Porter of Savannah to collect the arrears due for the period March 4 to July 23, 1834—the months leading up to his death. A receipt from the Planters’ Bank of Georgia shows Porter receiving the $23.16 on her behalf, closing John’s Revolutionary War account.

On September 2, 1780, John married Mary “Elizabeth” [last name unknown] in Virginia. A Virginia marriage index includes the marriage of a John Wilson to Elizabeth Moore on September 18, 1780, in Prince Edward County, Virginia. John’s pension file includes a letter stating he married Elizabeth on September 2, 1780, so it is possible these refer to the same couple, though no record has yet been found that explicitly ties them to Prince Edward County. John and Elizabeth had four children: John Jr., Mary, William, and Jesse M. Wilson. I descend from John Jr. and his wife Mary H. Anderson, daughter of Brazier and Sarah Anderson.

After the Revolution, John and Elizabeth left Virginia for North Carolina, part of the broad post‑war migration into the southern frontier. By the late 1780s he was already familiar with the dangers of that frontier. In sworn affidavits given in Greene County in 1822, John testified that in 1787–1788 Creek Indians stole livestock from him, burned stored corn, and destroyed property—losses he and his neighbors pursued more than 40 miles toward the Ocmulgee River. These early experiences on the Georgia frontier preceded his later permanent settlement in what became Greene County, where he and Elizabeth made their long‑term home in the Fishing Creek community, though he owned other tracts elsewhere in the county.

There John built the steady life typical of many Revolutionary War veterans on Georgia’s frontier. He entered Georgia’s backcountry early, receiving a state land grant in 1788 and another in 1792 on the waters that became part of Greene County, documenting his presence in the area decades before Greene County was fully organized. By 1789–1790 his name appears among citizens of the county’s Lower Battalion who petitioned Gov. Telfair about militia officer appointments, showing him already settled and engaged in local civic affairs. County records through the early decades of the nineteenth century show him managing modest property and carrying out routine land transactions. The 1820 census places John and Elizabeth in a small household with one adult son and three enslaved individuals, a modest farm operation typical of the Fishing Creek community. His frequent appearances in county minutes, estate files, and debt actions show how regularly he participated in the legal and economic life of his neighborhood. Though his military service defined his eligibility for later pension recognition, it was his long residence in the Fishing Creek community that shaped the remainder of his life.

By 1830 John was in his 70s, living with Elizabeth and a younger female relative in a small household that reflected his advancing age and the quiet, family‑centered rhythm of his final years. By the early 1830s, Wilson family land still formed part of the Fishing Creek neighborhood, with his son John Jr. serving as a Justice of the Peace and witnessing local deeds. When John was 77 years old, he applied for a Revolutionary War pension on August 30, 1832. In April 1833, the War Department formally accepted John’s service as authentic under the Act of June 7, 1832. His pension certificate was issued on April 15, 1833, signed by Lewis Cass, Secretary of War, and J. L. Edwards, Commissioner of Pensions, confirming that his testimony and supporting evidence met federal standards for verified military service. John was entitled to receive $60 a year during his natural life beginning March 4, 1834, paid semi‑annually on March 4 and September 4 every year.

On August 23, 1833, John conveyed a 90‑acre tract on Fishing Creek to his son John Jr. for $400. The land included the Wilson family shop, the spring used by John Jr., and a stretch of the Fishing Creek bank. This deed documents the transfer of the Wilson homestead from father to son, documenting the generational handoff of the family land shortly before John’s death.

In October 1833, sensing his declining health, John wrote a simple will describing himself as “old and very infirm.” He left all of his property to his wife Elizabeth and named trusted friends Oliver Porter and James K. Daniel as executors.

John died on July 23, 1834, in the Fishing Creek neighborhood. His death was certified by Vincent Sanford, Clerk of the Inferior Court, on June 8, 1835, when his widow sought to collect his final pension arrears. The Greene County certification also confirmed that John had originally had four children, but only three survived him.

After John’s death, Elizabeth executed a power of attorney on June 8, 1835, authorizing Anthony Porter of Savannah to collect the pension arrears owed to her. Porter certified that the transaction did not involve any sale or transfer of the pension, as required by law.

Elizabeth lived in Greene County for more than two decades after her husband’s death in 1834. Her final appearance in the records comes in July 1857, when the Court of Ordinary appointed her son John Jr. administrator of her estate, noting that Elizabeth Wilson, “late of this county,” was deceased. Because the court had already issued and published the required citation before the July 6 session, her death must have occurred only shortly beforehand—almost certainly between May and early July 1857. Her death closed the family’s direct connection to John’s pension, but it also prompted one final attempt by her children to recover additional arrears. Their petition was rejected because the law did not permit children or grandchildren to recover unpaid benefits after the widow’s death. A letter written in August 1857 summarized the ruling: “…as John Wilson did not pretend to have performed any service after his escape from captivity, shortly after the capitulation [surrender] of Charleston, which was in May 1780, while the family record shows that the marriage was solemnized on the 2d of September 1780, after his return to Virginia.” 

John’s journey from the Virginia Line to the Georgia frontier reflects the experience of many Revolutionary War veterans who helped shape the early nation. His service at Charleston, his years on the frontier, and his long life along Fishing Creek form a small but meaningful part of America’s founding story—one carried forward today through the records he left behind and the family who remembers him.

References

• Greene County, Georgia, Court Minutes 1812–1827, image 430, FamilySearch.
• Greene County, Georgia, Court Records 1815–1817, image 85, FamilySearch.
• Greene County, Georgia, Court Records 1821–1824, image 394, FamilySearch.
• Greene County, Georgia, Deeds 1793–1802, 1785–1792, image 604, FamilySearch.
• Greene County, Georgia, Deeds 1799–1804, 1803–1808, image 265, FamilySearch.
• Greene County, Georgia, Deeds 1830–1840, 1832, image 31, FamilySearch.
• Greene County, Georgia, Deeds 1839–1852, image 435, FamilySearch.
• Greene County, Georgia, Land Records 1785–1793, Enslavement Records 1785–1793, image 492, FamilySearch.
• Greene County, Georgia, Probate Records 1852–1879, image 195, FamilySearch.
• Greene County, Georgia, Wills 1786–1795, 1794–1810, 1840–1877, 1806–1816, 1817–1842, image 467, FamilySearch.
• John Wilson, Georgia, Wills and Probate Records, 1742–1992.
• John Wilson, U.S., Census Reconstructed Records, 1660–1820.
• John Wilson, U.S., Final Payment Vouchers—Georgia, 1818–1864.
• John Wilson, U.S., Revolutionary War Pensions, 1800–1900.
• John Wilson, Virginia, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1660–1800.
• U.S. Federal Census, Capt. Awtreys District, Greene County, Georgia, 1820.
• U.S. Federal Census, Greene County, Georgia, 1830. 

Sale of Charles, property of minor Augustus L. Grant

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

In August 1833, Daniel Grant, guardian of Augustus L. Grant, presented his account to the Greene County court for examination and approval. Among the items recorded was the payment of one dollar to A. Newton, Deputy Sheriff, for announcing the sale of Charles, an enslaved man belonging to Augustus L. Grant’s estate.

Rec’d 4 December 1832 of Daniel Grant, guardian of Augustus L. Grant, orphan, one dollar for the crying the sale of negro Charles belonging to Augustus L. Grant, orphan. 

A. Newton Dep. J. C.

Reference

Estate Records, Greene County, Georgia, Probate Estate Case Files 1790–1943, image 451, FamilySearch. 

The Scott Family’s Role in the Revolutionary War Effort

As part of my ongoing look at the Revolutionary War in honor of America’s 250th birthday, I explored the Revolutionary War Class Lists for Culpeper County, Virginia after finding Cornelius Scott—who may be connected to my Scott line—listed in January 1781. Having never heard of the class lists before, I wondered whether this meant he had served. What I learned tells a different—but equally important—story.

On October 16, 1780, the Virginia General Assembly passed a law requiring each county to supply a specific number of men for an 18‑month term in the Continental Army. To meet this quota, counties divided their eligible militiamen into small neighborhood groups called classes. Each class had one job: produce one soldier.

The man was chosen by lot, and if drafted, he could provide a substitute. Counties recorded every eligible man, the man selected, and any substitute who stepped forward.

The Culpeper County Class List of 1781 contained 106 classes, each with 13–14 men who were eligible for the draft. Because there were 106 classes, Culpeper supplied 106 soldiers—the county’s required quota.

Cornelius and his probable brother James Scott appear together in Class No. 37. But they were not the men chosen to serve. That responsibility fell to Jacob Nay Jr., whose name is marked as the drafted man for Class No. 37. It was Jacob who shouldered the burden of service, leaving his home, family, and livelihood for an 18‑month enlistment during the final, decisive phase of the war. His service helped Virginia meet its quota at a moment when the Continental Army desperately needed manpower. Cornelius and James didn’t march to Yorktown—but Jacob Nay Jr. may well have.

Being part of a class also carried emotional weight. Every eligible man lived with the knowledge that his name could be drawn next. Muster days, announcements from county officers, and even the sound of a messenger riding up the road could bring a moment of tension. Even those who stayed home lived with uncertainty, knowing that the war could reach into their household at any time.

Culpeper County itself felt the strain of 1781. Troops moved through the region, supplies were demanded, and the pressure of the Yorktown campaign was building across Virginia. Local families faced shortages, shifting militia duties, and the constant awareness that the war was no longer distant—it was pressing into their own communities.

Revolutionary War Class Lists, such as the 1781 Culpeper County roster, are often mistaken for military service records. They are not. They document liability, not service, and that liability carried real obligations to support the draft:

• Financial responsibility: Class members often shared the cost of equipping the drafted man—clothing, gear, sometimes cash.
• Legal liability: Failure to appear or comply could result in fines.
• Militia expectations: Eligible men remained part of the county militia structure, attending musters and staying ready for local defense.
• Community support: When a man was drafted, neighbors frequently helped his family manage crops, livestock, and debts during his absence.

While the list firmly places Cornelius and James in Culpeper County in 1781 and shows their participation in the county’s wartime recruitment system, it does not constitute Patriot service under Daughters of the American Revolution or Sons of the American Revolution standards. Instead, it reflects the broader civilian burden of the Revolution—neighbors funding, supporting, and enabling the enlistment that helped carry Virginia through the final campaign toward Yorktown.

By fulfilling their obligation, the men on the class list made Jacob Nay Jr.’s service possible. They didn’t carry a musket, but they carried their share of the burden—financial, legal, and communal. Cornelius and James Scott remind us that the Revolution depended not only on those who marched, but also on the communities whose draft liability and support made that service possible.

Culpeper County’s 1781 Revolutionary War Class List,
documenting the community network that supplied soldiers
for the Continental Army

References

• Culpeper County Classes, 1781 Index, The Library of Virginia; https://lva-virginia.libguides.com/c.php?g=1049125. 
• Revolutionary War Classes, 1781, Culpeper County, Virginia: Culpeper. Militia Records 1781, image 13, FamilySearch. 

Midwife payment for Joan from guardian of Ann Eliza Early

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

In the 1826 probate records of Ann Eliza Early, her guardian John Cunningham submitted a sworn statement regarding his management of her affairs. Among the entries is a receipt noting his payment of $1 to a midwife for attending Joan, an enslaved woman, during childbirth in 1825.

Rec’d of John Cunningham, guardian of Ann Eliza Early, one dollar it being for an amt. paid by me to a midwife in attending on Joan a negro woman in child bed in my employ in the year 1824. This 5 July 1825.

Cash pd/1.00 [signature unreadable]

Reference

Estate Records, Greene County, Georgia, Probate Estate Case Files 1790–1943, image 890, FamilySearch. 

John Athya and His Burgess Status

I published a sketch about John Athya in December 2024, but a recent search of Glasgow, Scotland records turned up an interesting detail that expands his story. John, born in 1828 in Glasgow, was the son of Isaac Athya and Janet Graham, and he was my husband’s third great‑uncle. The new record shows that in 1866 he held a civic status in Glasgow that mattered both socially and economically.

On September 11, 1866, John, a merchant in Glasgow, was admitted as a Burgess and Guild Brother of the Burgh of Glasgow. His admission came through his marriage to Catherine Bell, the second daughter of John Bell, a long‑established Flesher (butcher) in the city. In Glasgow, a man could become a Burgess by marrying the daughter of a Burgess, and John qualified through his wife’s family.

The record notes that he “paid his freedom,” which means he paid the required fee to enter the Burgess roll. This was not a punishment or a fine in the modern sense—it was the standard admission payment; the same way someone today might pay a licensing fee or membership dues.

A Burgess was not just a resident of Glasgow. He was a freeman of the burgh, meaning he had full legal and economic rights inside the city. The word “freeman” was used because a Burgess was free to trade, own property, and work without the restrictions placed on non‑Burgesses. Only freemen could open shops, take apprentices, or participate fully in the city’s business life. A Burgess was a recognized member of the city with rights that ordinary residents didn’t have.

Because Catherine’s father belonged to the Fleshers’ Guild, John was admitted “qua Flesher,” meaning his Burgess status was tied to the trade of his wife’s family. The term “Flesher” was the old Scottish word for a butcher—someone who slaughtered animals and prepared meat for sale. The Fleshers were one of Glasgow’s traditional craft guilds.

A craft guild was an organized association of men who practiced the same trade. Guilds controlled training, quality standards, market rules, and who was allowed to work in the trade. They also played a civic role, helping govern the city through the Trades’ House. Being connected to a guild family meant stability, respectability, and a recognized place in the city’s social structure.

Burgesses also had the right to vote in burgh elections, which were the local elections for the town council, magistrates, and other civic officers who governed the city. These elections shaped local laws, taxes, and public works. Only Burgesses could participate, so the status carried real political weight.

For John and Catherine, this admission confirmed their standing in Glasgow. It tied John into a long‑established civic tradition and recognized Catherine as the daughter of a respected tradesman. Their marriage not only joined two families but also secured John’s place within the economic and political life of the city.

Record of Burgess Entries of the Burgh of Glasgow (1857–1876)

John listed in the Index of Burgesses (1801–1900)

References

• Dictionary of the Scots Language, s.v. “flesher,” accessed May 26, 2026.
• Glasgow, Scotland, Occupation Records 1857–1876, image 119, FamilySearch.
• Glasgow, Scotland, Occupation Records 1801–1900, image 27, FamilySearch.
• National Records of Scotland, “Burgh Records: A Guide to the Burghs of Scotland,” sections on Burgesses and Guild Brethren.
• Trades House of Glasgow, “History of the Trades,” including the Incorporation of Fleshers. 

Malinda named in Henry Asbury’s estate

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

In the 1847 probate records of Henry Asbury, a receipt documents payment to John Crutchfield for boarding and clothing an enslaved woman named Malinda during that year. A second receipt records the trustee, John G. Holtzclaw, paying Asbury’s county taxes.

Received of John Holtzclaw, Trustee of Henry Asbury, twenty-five dollars for board and clothing negro woman Malinda for the year 1847 this 7th Jany. 1848.

John Crutchfield

Received of John G. Holtzclaw, Trustee for Henry Asbury, his Tax for 1847. Amount $2.92 ½.

J. L. Turner, Tax Collector.

Reference

Estate Records, Greene County, Georgia, Probate Estate Case Files 1790–1943, image 615, FamilySearch.

Taliaferro “Toliver” Langford Scott of Anderson County, South Carolina

Taliaferro “Toliver” Langford Scott was born in 1819 in South Carolina; his parents remain unidentified. At first, I believed he was the son of Taliaferro “Toliver” L. Scott and Nancy Wright of Spartanburg District, which seemed reasonable until new evidence surfaced. In March, another researcher contacted me after reading my sketch on Anthony Scott of Culpeper County, Virginia. She had traced the same Culpeper “love and affection” deed I had followed, but her line ran through Elizabeth (Scott) Stone—sister of the Culpeper‑born Toliver (1784). When she shared a Spartanburg Petition for Partition filed by W. B. Scott, it listed all heirs of Toliver (1784), and my Toliver was not among them. That document proved that the Culpeper‑born Toliver did not have a son named Toliver, so the Anderson County man must belong to a different branch of the family.

Petition for Partition filed in the Spartanburg District
Court of Ordinary by W. B. Scott

As I continued researching, a completely different sibling group emerged for the Anderson County Toliver—Carter C., Mitchell B., Jefferson A., William H., Joseph, and Mary Scott. DNA evidence supports a connection to Anthony’s grandson, Cornelius Scott, but without a document naming his parents, Anderson County Toliver’s position in the Scott line that traces back to Anthony Scott is unsettled for me.

While this was disappointing, I made a major discovery while reviewing Scott records on FamilySearch: Toliver (of Anderson) had been married twice, not once as I had believed. His first marriage occurred before March 1836, when he and Eliza E. Strickland, daughter of Burrell and Emilla “Emily” Strickland, appeared together in an Equity Court notice in the Pendleton Messenger. They continued the Strickland suit through 1837 and 1838, filing their receipt in full on November 24, 1838, confirming they had received Eliza’s inheritance. Later filings show that Toliver had died by the early 1850s and identify their three children as Newton, Amanda Elizabeth, and Eliza Scott. I descend from their daughter Amanda.

By August 1839, Toliver had moved into Anderson Village and purchased six town lots from Richard Prince. Prince held only a bond for title, meaning he did not yet have the deed, but Toliver paid the full price and took possession anyway. He lived on and improved the property for more than a decade, though the incomplete title later caused legal complications.

Eliza died shortly after Amanda’s birth in September 1839. On January 6, 1840, Toliver married Melvina “Lavina or Vina” Parker, forming a blended household that included Newton, Eliza, and Amanda, as well as Toliver and Lavina’s children—Martha Ellen, Langford J., Mary F., and Rosanna T. Scott. The 1840 census shows the family in Anderson District. By the late 1840s, Toliver had established himself as a wagon maker and blacksmith. 

Court records show that Toliver had been sued for unpaid notes as early as 1841, a pattern of financial strain that continued throughout the decade. Court records also show Toliver appearing as a witness in local civil cases, such as a subpoena issued in 1846 in a suit between James Ingram and John Dickinson.

In a January 1849 advertisement, Toliver offered one‑ to four‑horse wagons “of his own make,” guaranteed his workmanship, and invited custom orders. He also sold wagons on Sale Day, demonstrating both skill and business sense.

The Abbeville Banner, Abbeville, South Carolina, January 13, 1849

In 1850, the Scott family lived in the Western Division of Anderson District. Toliver, age 31, worked as a blacksmith with real estate valued at $2,000. Most of the children attended school, and Newton was listed as an apprentice—likely learning his father’s trade. A young man named Jeptha Scott lived with them, though his relationship is unknown. The agricultural schedule shows only a small farm—no horses or cattle, just a few sheep and pigs, and modest grain production—confirming that blacksmithing was Toliver’s primary livelihood.

Toliver’s financial troubles came to a head in October 1850, when the Court of Common Pleas issued a writ ordering sheriffs across South Carolina to seize him and bring him to court to answer a debt claim filed by Warren R. Webb. Before the case could be resolved, Toliver died without a will on January 12, 1851. His widow petitioned for administration, but the Ordinary appointed Andrew O. Norris on January 30. The estate inventory listed household goods, blacksmith tools, livestock, two enslaved adults, and numerous unpaid accounts owed to Toliver, yet the estate ultimately lacked the assets needed to cover his debts.

Toliver also owned two Anderson town lots—Nos. 41 and 43 in Square 14—one containing his blacksmith shop and the other a house. Because the estate lacked clear title to all six lots, Norris went to the Court of Equity in 1852 to clear the title and authorize their sale. Surveyor James Gilmer resurveyed the property, and the court ordered the lots sold in September 1853 to satisfy debts.

Survey of Toliver’s six Anderson Village lots

In June 1852, the court appointed a guardian ad litem for Toliver’s three minor Strickland‑line children (with his first wife Eliza)—Newton, Amanda, and Eliza—during the ongoing Strickland estate proceedings, ensuring their inheritance rights were protected.

By 1863, Toliver’s former Anderson Lots 41 and 43 had passed into the hands of Charleston financier George A. Trenholm, noting the building long known as ‘Scott’s shop’ and tracing their ownership through Elias Earle to Trenholm.

Mitchell B. Scott’s probate records from 1874–1876 helped document Toliver’s family. When Mitchell’s widow petitioned the court to sell land to pay his debts, the court listed Mitchell’s living siblings and the heirs of those who had already died. Toliver was included among the deceased siblings, and his place was represented by his daughters—Amanda Holland, Eliza Bolt, Ellen Simmons, Mary F. Turner, and Rosannah Mahaffey—showing that these were his surviving children and that he had died well before 1874.

Toliver’s presence in Anderson County records continued into the 1870s, when deeds tracing the chain of title for his Anderson town lots—Nos. 41 and 43 in Square 14—described them as “formerly owned by Toliver Scott.” A federal court deed from 1873, issued during the Fraser & Trenholm bankruptcy, again identified these lots as part of Toliver’s 1842 estate sale, preserving both their boundaries and his place in the early development of Anderson’s town center. 

Toliver’s life in Anderson County is now far clearer than when I began this research, yet one question remains unresolved: who were his parents? The evidence firmly rules out the Spartanburg line descending from Toliver Scott (1784), and DNA connections instead point toward an unplaced branch of the wider Scott family descending from Anthony Scott of Culpeper County. Matches to the line of Cornelius Scott strengthen that possibility, but no surviving record has yet named Toliver’s parents outright. His parentage remains just beyond the surviving evidence, likely preserved somewhere in the early Anderson, Pendleton, or upstate Scott records that have yet to come to light.

References

• Anderson County, South Carolina, Conveyance Records 1873–1875, images 87 and 141, FamilySearch.
• Anderson County, South Carolina, Court Records 1840, image 688, FamilySearch.
• Anderson County, South Carolina, Court Records 1846–1847, images 313–314, FamilySearch.
• Anderson County, South Carolina, Court Records 1852, images 7–57, FamilySearch. 
• Anderson County, South Carolina, Court Records 1852–1853, images 8–90, FamilySearch.
• Anderson County, South Carolina, Judicial Estate Records 1849–1851, image 691, FamilySearch.
• Anderson County, South Carolina, Land Records 1852–1855, 1849–1852, images 406–407 and 532, FamilySearch.
• Anderson County, South Carolina, Land Records 1872–1873, image 489, FamilySearch.
• Anderson County, South Carolina, Probate Records 1828–1878, images 406–411 and 619–647, FamilySearch. 
• Anderson County, South Carolina, Probate Records 1853–1863, 1840–1853, 1863–1868, image 250, FamilySearch.
• Anderson, South Carolina, Judicial Estate Records 1849–1851, images 688–693, FamilySearch.
• Anderson, South Carolina, Judicial Estate Records 1853–1854, images 260–261, FamilySearch.
• Charleston, South Carolina, Conveyance Records 1857–1867, image 872, FamilySearch.
• Deed Book A, 1749–1753, Culpeper County, Virginia: Culpeper, Deed Books 1749–1753, image 138, FamilySearch.
• History of Aaron Hall and Clementina Ann (Norris) Hall, letter written by Aaron Hall Holland to Samuel Jackson Holland, May 15, 1964.
• Lavina Scott, South Carolina, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1670–1980.
• Parker, Vina, South Carolina, U.S., Compiled Marriage Index, 1641–1965.
• Pendleton, South Carolina, Newspapers 1839, 1837, image 19 (Pendleton Messenger, March 22, 1837), FamilySearch.
• Spartanburg, South Carolina, Real Estate Records 1853–1881, images 177–178, FamilySearch.
• Tolaver Scott, plat for 212.5 acres on fork of North and South Tiger Rivers, Spartanburgh District, surveyed by George Nicholls, October 27, 1830.
• U.S. Federal Census, Anderson, South Carolina, 1840.
• U.S. Federal Census, Spartanburg, South Carolina, 1830.
• U.S. Federal Census, Western Division, District of Anderson, South Carolina, 1850.
• U.S., Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules (Agriculture), Anderson, South Carolina, 1850.
• Wagons for Sale, The Abbeville Banner, Abbeville, South Carolina, January 13, 1849.

Emanuel, Caroline, and Elijah named in John Monfort estate

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

In 1851, the estate of John Monfort distributed three enslaved people—Emanuel, Caroline, and Elijah—as part of the division of his property.

Recvd. of Isaac Morrison, Admr. of John Monfort decd. the following negroes as my distributive share of the estate of my father to wit: negro man Emanuel valued at nine hundred dollars, woman Caroline valued at six hundred dollars, boy Elijah valued at seven hundred dollars these being the negroes as will more fully approve by reference to the division of said estate.

6th January 1851
John C. Monfort

Reference

Greene County, Georgia, Probate Estate Case Files 1790–1943, image 277, FamilySearch.

The Athya Twins of Bridgeton

George Dempster Athya and his twin sister Mary Glen Athya, children of John D. Athya and Helen “Ellen” Dempster, were born on May 29, 1901 in the Bridgeton district of Glasgow, Scotland. The Athya family included eight children: Edward Dempster, John Dempster, Ellen “Nellie/Helen” McKendrick, Hannah Quinn, James, George Dempster, Mary Glen, and Sarah Athya—all born in Bridgeton. Helen had two older daughters from her first marriage to James Glass: Isabella “Bella” Dempster and Jane Dempster Glass.

George and Mary are my husband’s 1st cousins 2× removed. Their nearest common ancestors are James Athya and Jane Wylie, George’s grandparents and my husband’s 2nd great‑grandparents.

Before George and Mary’s birth, the family suffered an earlier loss. Their brother Edward, only one month old, died on November 17, 1893 from “gastric catarrh,” likely a severe stomach infection that caused dehydration—often fatal in the 1890s before antibiotics and modern hydration therapy. His burial place is unknown.

George and Mary’s father worked as a goldbreaker journeyman, a skilled metal worker who broke brass or gold‑colored scrap for foundries—an East End trade not formally defined in occupational directories. The family lived at 47 Dunn Street through the births of John (1895), Ellen (1897), Hannah (1898), and James (1900).

The 1901 Scotland census, taken on March 31, shows the family at 59 Dunn Street, a crowded household that included John and Helen’s children, step‑siblings Bella and Jane Glass, and a maternal cousin, Nellie Dempster, age 16. The Athya children were all attending school; Bella worked as a harness weaver, Jane as a French polisher, and their cousin as a cotton spinner. By the twins’ birth on May 29, 1901, the family had moved a short distance to 30 Norman Street. George was born first at 10:45 p.m., with Mary following about 15 minutes later. Mary’s name was originally recorded as Sarah Dempster Athya, but later officially corrected to Mary Glen Athya.

Original birth register entry for George and Mary (listed as
Sarah Dempster Athya) in the Scotland Birth Register (June 19, 1901) 

On November 11, 1902, another daughter was born and given the name Sarah.

The year 1903 brought devastating tragedy. On June 12, 1903, two‑year‑old George died from acute bronchitis, an illness he battled for 10 days before collapsing from a sudden loss of consciousness that often occurred at the end of severe illness.

George’s death recorded in the Scotland Death Register

Four months later, on October 15, 1903, their 11‑month‑old sister Sarah died after four days of measles. Just five days after that, on October 20, 1903, two‑year‑old Mary—George’s twin—died following six days of measles and broncho‑pneumonia.

Mary’s death recorded in the Scotland Death Register

All three children—George, Mary, and Sarah—died at their home at 65 Dunn Street and were buried together in Lair 860 at the Southern Necropolis cemetery in Glasgow. The lair’s original proprietor was their great‑grandfather Isaac Athya, with their grandfather James Athya listed as co‑proprietor.

George’s burial recorded in the Southern Necropolis Cemetery
Register of Interments (page 1)

George’s burial recorded in the Southern Necropolis Cemetery
Register of Interments (page 2)

Sarah and Mary’s burial recorded in the Southern Necropolis Cemetery
Register of Interments (page 1)

Sarah and Mary’s burial recorded in the Southern Necropolis Cemetery
Register of Interments (page 2)

The correction to Mary’s name was submitted on July 10, 1903 and formally entered into the Register of Corrected Entries on November 26, 1903. This amendment officially changed her recorded birth name from Sarah to Mary Glen.

Register of Corrected Entries note documenting the official
correction of Sarah’s (George’s twin sister) name from Sarah to
Mary Glen in the 1901 birth register (November 26, 1903)

References

• Edward Dempster Athya, Statutory Registers Births 644/1 1452, National Records of Scotland, 1893.
• Edward Dempster Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/1 1298, National Records of Scotland, 1893.
• Eilen McKendric Athya, Statutory Registers Births 644/1 235, National Records of Scotland, 1897.
• George Dempster Athya and Sarah Dempster Athya, Statutory Registers Births 644/1 973, National Records of Scotland, 1901.
• George Dempster Athya, Sarah Athya, and Mary Glen Athya, Southern Necropolis: Glasgow. Burial Registers 1899–1914, images 85 and 89, FamilySearch.
• George Dempster Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/1 523, National Records of Scotland, 1903.
• Hannah Athya, Statutory Registers Births 644/1 1609, National Records of Scotland, 1898.
• Helen Dempster and James Glass, Scotland’s People, Statutory Registers, Marriages Search.
• Isaac Arthey, Southern Necropolis: Glasgow. Cemetery Records 1865–1943, image 27, FamilySearch.
• Isabella Dempster Glass and Jane Dempster Glass, Scotland’s People, Statutory Registers, Births Search.
• James Athya, Statutory Registers Births 644/1 500, National Records of Scotland, 1900.
• John Athya, Census 644/1 17/32, National Records of Scotland, 1901.
• John Dempster Athya, Statutory Registers Births 644/1 768, National Records of Scotland, 1895.
• Mary Glen Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/1 922, National Records of Scotland, 1903.
• Sarah Athya, Statutory Registers Births 644/1 2070, National Records of Scotland, 1902.
• Sarah Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/1 899, National Records of Scotland, 1903.
• Southern Necropolis: Glasgow, Scotland, Burial Registers 1899–1914, Geoge Dempster, Sarah, and Mary Glen Athya, images 85 and 89, FamilySearch.