Jim, Caswell, Abram, Cyntha, Cresy, Phebe, Simon, Green, Edmond, and Lewis

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

Georgia Journal, Madison, Georgia, November 29, 1827

Sheriff’s Sale—On the first Tuesday in January 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:

300 acres of land, more or less, on the Appalachie river, adjoining Crawford, Thompson and others, 100 acres of land, more or less, adjoining Bishop, Mubbard and others, levied on as the property of Peter Dudley and Wm. P. Graham to satisfy a fi fa in favor of Gilbert Greer vs. said defendants.

All the undivided interest of Robert W. Burdell, in right of his wife, in the estate of Hugh Hayes, dec’d, both real and personal, that is not already disposed of, to satisfy a fi fa in favor of John C. Nicholson vs. said Burdell.

One negro man by the name of Jim, about 30 years of age, levied on as the property of John McAllister, to satisfy a fi fa in favor of George Ponsonby, vs. said McAllister.

Five negroes, to wit: Caswell a man, Abram, Cyntha, Cresy and Phebe, levied on as the property of Isam Took, to satisfy sundry fi fas issuing from a magistrates court in favor of Frederick G. Colbert, William Cone and others, vs. said Isam Took; levy made and return to me by a bailiff.

20 head of cattle, levied on as the property of John Southerland, to satisfy 2 fi fas in favor of George Wragg, vs. said Southerland.

150 acres of land, whereon John Southerland now lives, levied on as his property to satisfy a fi fa founded on the foreclosure of a mortgage in favor of Eugene D. Cook & Co. vs. said Southerland.

Four negroes, Simon a man about 30 years old, Green, Edmond, and Lewis, boys, all levied on as the property of William H. Carter, to satisfy fi fas in favor of Lane & Sims, Hugh Love and others, vs. said Carter.

WILLIAM GREER, Sh’ff.

Vesta Bell Lankford

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.

Vesta Bell Lankford, born on August 12, 1898, in Stephens, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, was the daughter of William Mell Lankford and Nancy Ella Young. The Lankford family had nine children: Grover Bennett Lankford, Howard Young Lankford, Annie Lou Lankford, Robert “Chester” Lankford, Masina Elizabeth Lankford, Vesta Bell Lankford, Pauline Lankford, William Reese Lankford, and Otis Elmore Lankford. Vesta is my 2nd cousin 3x removed, with our nearest common relatives being Charles L. Lankford and Miss Moore, my 4th great-grandparents and her great-grandparents.

On June 21, 1900, the family, including Vesta (enumerated as Vester), lived in Fluker, Greene County, Georgia. Her father worked as a farmer, her brother Howard was a farm laborer, and sisters Annie and Masina were in school. Vesta’s maternal uncle, Jim Young, also lived with them and worked as a farm laborer. The census recorded that Vesta’s mother had eight children, seven of whom were living, accounting for the death of Vesta’s brother Grover, who passed away as an infant in 1885 before Vesta was born. Her parents had been married for 17 years.

By April 20, 1910, the Lankford family had relocated to a rented farm on Bowling Green Road in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. Vesta’s mother had given birth to another child since the 1900 census. Her father continued to work as a general farmer, and her brother Chester worked as a laborer on the home farm. Vesta, Pauline, William, and Otis were all attending school. Everyone except William and Otis could read and write.

On the night of December 28, 1914, in Bairdstown, a tragic incident occurred involving a group of boys engaged in mischief. Hugh Arnold, a local young man, fired his pistol aimlessly to scare the boys, accidentally hitting Vesta’s 14-year-old brother, Otis, in the head. Otis succumbed to his injuries a few hours later. Arnold, shocked by the unintended consequence, claimed he had no intention of harming anyone. He was later bound over to the Superior Court under a $400 bond. Otis was buried at Bairdstown Cemetery.

In the fall of 1914, Vesta took part in a subscription contest organized by The Athens Banner newspaper in Athens, Clarke County, Georgia. Contestants earned points by securing payments for new newspaper subscriptions. Additionally, they could submit coupons published in the newspaper to earn votes, provided they adhered to strict submission guidelines. The Banner awarded over $2500 in prizes and cash commissions to more than 100 young women.

In June 1917, Vesta and her sister Masina, residents of Bairdstown, traveled to Athens to visit Miss Ida Power, repeating the visit in September. Athens is roughly a 30-minute drive from Bairdstown. By 1918, Vesta had started her career as a schoolteacher in the community of Dorsey, Morgan County, Georgia. She attended the University of Georgia’s summer school that year while living in Stephens. In April 1919, Vesta and her sister Pauline, also a teacher, took a weekend trip to visit Mrs. W. E. Monroe, attending both the Minstrel and the Teachers’ Institute. Later, in July 1919, Vesta visited friends in Stephens, and attended a Masonic barbecue in the town of Bostwick, nearby in Morgan County, Georgia.

On January 6, 1920, the Lankford family resided on Lexington Road in Bairdstown. Vesta’s father owned the home outright. Alongside 24-year-old Vesta, three of her adult siblings lived there: Masina (28), Pauline (22), and William (20). Their single, 62-year-old paternal uncle, Charles F. Lankford, also lived with them. Uncle Charles worked as a house painter. Vesta’s father and brother William both worked as farmers on the home farm, while Vesta was a common school teacher, and Pauline taught high school. A common school teacher was an educator who taught in a “common school” during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Common schools were the earliest form of public schools in the United States, offering free education to all children in the community. These teachers were responsible for teaching a variety of subjects to students of different ages and skill levels, often in a single classroom setting.

Next door, Vesta’s brother Robert lived with his wife Mendie (Hayes) and their eight-month-old son Robert. Robert, too, was a farmer on his own farm. The census was enumerated by William M. Langford, possibly Vesta’s father, despite the slight variation in spelling (Langford vs. Lankford).

On January 30, the Madisonian reported that Vesta, residing in Dorsey, was visited by her brother ‘Willie’ from Stephens. In February 1920, Vesta attended a ‘popcorn popping’ at the home of Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Bailey in Dorsey.

Vesta, described as “a popular teacher of the county” by the Madisonian, visited Madison in Morgan County, Georgia, in September 1921. She also made a trip to Athens with her sister Annie and a Mrs. Stephens. During the 1921–1922 school year, Vesta taught at Greenwood School in Morgan County, boarding with Mrs. Jim Thomas. In November 1921, she was appointed to a Harris district committee of the Morgan County Relief Association.

In 1923, Vesta lived briefly in Union Point, Greene County, Georgia, where she renewed her newspaper subscription to the Madisonian. By the mid-1920s, several Lankford family members, including Vesta, relocated to Gary, Lake County, Indiana. Vesta’s brother Howard had moved there earlier, likely prompting the family’s move. In 1925, Vesta, her parents, brother William, and sister Pauline lived at 457 Fillmore Street, while Howard and his wife resided at 408 Fillmore Street. Vesta worked as a clerk, her father as a bricklayer, William as a millworker, Pauline as a stenographer, and Howard as an assistant superintendent at the United States Steel Corporation.

Vesta returned to Crawford, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, by August 1927, attending a wiener and marshmallow roast at the home of Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Crawford. During the 1928–1929 school year, she taught at a Bibb City School in Muscogee County, living in a boarding house at 96 40th Street in Bibb City, owned by Eva Gardner.

Vesta continued to reside at Eva Gardner’s boarding house as of April 5, 1930, while teaching at a public school. The boarding house was quite large, housing 15 other boarders, mostly teachers, with one social worker. During the holidays, Vesta visited Misses Sara Anderson and Jean Walker at Winnie Griffith’s home. She spent another week with Winnie in June 1931 before returning home to Crawford.

In June 1932, Vesta was an honored guest at a bridge party hosted by Mrs. E. H. Griffith. The home was beautifully decorated with summer flowers, and an ice course, likely including ice cream or frozen sherbet, fruit salad, and ice-cold beverages, was served after the games. Vesta taught grammar school in Watkinsville, Oconee County, Georgia, during the 1933–1934 school year.

Vesta's mother, Ella (Young), passed away at her home in Crawford on December 9, 1933, after a short illness. She was laid to rest at Bairdstown Cemetery following a funeral service at the Crawford Baptist Church, officiated by Rev. Alton Glazier, a Presbyterian pastor, and assisted by Rev. F. J. Hendrick, a Baptist pastor. At the time of her mother’s death, Vesta was living in Crawford.

In January 1934, Vesta attended a dinner at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Shannon Elder in Watkinsville. In March, she spent a weekend visiting Laura Ware in Lawrenceville, Gwinnett County, Georgia, and made a shopping trip to Athens. In May, Eliose Sewart spent the weekend with Vesta in Crawford. In July, Vesta visited friends in Watkinsville. During the 1934–1935 school year, Vesta taught 7th grade classes and served as the principal of a grammar school in Watkinsville.

In August 1934, Vesta visited Winnie Griffith in Butler, Taylor County, Georgia, likely to attend a bridal kitchen shower for Wynnita Taylor at Mrs. S. B. Liggin’s home. Guests wrote recipes for a cookbook for the bride-elect, followed by gift openings and lunch. Vesta also spent a day in Athens with her friend Connie Hopkins. Later in August, Vesta attended a bridge party for bride-elect Dorothy Little at Connie’s home in Crawford, where she won top score. Guests enjoyed a salad course after the game. In December, Vesta, her sister Masina, and friend Connie spent the Saturday before Christmas shopping in Athens.

In March 1935, Vesta attended a dinner party at the home of Mrs. Harvey Downs in Watkinsville. In July, she spent several days with Mr. and Mrs. Jim Jones, also in Watkinsville. That same March, she served on the Library Committee for Oconee County High School. In August, Vesta went on a shopping trip to Athens with her sister Pauline and friend Connie Tomkins.

Vesta attended a bridge party hosted by Connie Hopkins in honor of her sister Pauline, who was visiting from Indiana. Connie’s home was adorned with summer flowers, and guests enjoyed a salad course after playing 12 hands of Contract Bridge—a competitive game where scoring is based on the contracts bid and fulfilled by players.

In September, Vesta and her sisters Masina and Annie hosted a bridal shower for newlywed Mrs. Ernest Rice. The event included a game of bridge, the opening of gifts, and a salad course. The Lankford sisters decorated the home with a variety of floral arrangements.

In February 1936, Vesta attended a miscellaneous shower hosted by Mrs. R. E. Rice and Connie Hopkins in Crawford, celebrating her nephew James Howard Mayo’s new bride, Mary Helen Smith. James was the son of Vesta’s sister Annie, who married John Francis Mayo. The home was adorned in valentine colors, and guests enjoyed a variety of games. Vesta won a prize for preparing and packing the bride’s traveling bag, while her sister Masina won for composing the best limerick of good wishes. After the games, a delightful salad feast was enjoyed. A few days later, Vesta hosted James and Mary for dinner at her home.

In February 1937, Vesta attended a finance committee meeting of the Watkinsville Civitan Club, featuring guest speakers Track Coach Weems Baskin, world champion hurdler “Spec” Towns, and sprint artist Bobby Packard. Baskin was a legendary track and field coach at the University of South Carolina from 1948 to 1969 and an outstanding hurdler at Auburn University. Forrest Grady “Spec” Towns, a Georgia native, was a renowned American track and field athlete who won the gold medal in the 110-meter hurdles at the 1936 Olympics and set the world record three times, winning more than 60 consecutive races during his prime.

Later that month, Vesta attended another bridal shower, this time in honor of Mrs. Ferdinand Johnson and hosted by Mrs. Albert Elder. The event featured a game of bridge, followed by the bride opening gifts, which were presented in a special ceremony by a young girl and boy dressed as a bride and groom, marching in to a violin rendition of the wedding march played by Eloise Stewart. After the gifts, guests gathered in the dining room for refreshments, with the home decorated in silver and white.

In May 1936, Vesta was appointed as one of the Oconee County grammar school heads. In April 1937, she represented Oconee County at an event in Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia. By December 1937, Vesta, who had been teaching in an Atlanta school, resigned her position to accept a new role in Columbus, Muscogee County, Georgia.

Vesta’s brother, Chester, who suffered from heart disease, passed away in St. Louis, Missouri, on October 22, 1938. His body was returned to Georgia, and he was laid to rest three days later at Bairdstown Cemetery following a funeral service at Bairdstown Baptist Church.

On December 5, 1939, Vesta attended a Watkinsville Civitan Club meeting aimed at organizing support for new uniforms for the Oconee High School girls’ basketball team. In 1935, Vesta lived alone in a rental home in Watkinsville and continued to live there when the 1940 census was taken on April 4, 1940. She remained a public school teacher during this time.

In August 1944, Vesta received a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Georgia and became a member of Kappa Delta Pi.

Vesta’s father, William, passed away at his home in Crawford on October 6, 1944, after a short illness. His obituary described him as “one of the best known influential men in Oglethorpe County.” William was laid to rest on October 8 at Bairdstown Cemetery, following a funeral service at the Crawford Baptist Church.

In mid-October 1944, Vesta and her sister Masina visited Athens. Vesta’s brother William, who lived in Gary, Indiana, visited her in August 1946, and she accompanied him to Athens. In late November 1946, Vesta attended a Clarke County Georgia Teachers’ Association meeting at the Holman Hotel in Athens. She visited Athens again in August 1947.

Sometime between late 1947 and early 1950, Vesta lived in St. Louis, Missouri. By early August 1949, she was back in Georgia, visiting her sister Pauline in Athens.

On April 4, 1950, Vesta lived in Crawford with her sister Masina, who was head of the household, and her sister Annie and Annie’s husband John. Vesta was a county high school teacher, Masina an elementary school teacher, and Annie a grammar school teacher. John, Vesta’s brother-in-law, was the city police chief.

In April 1951, Vesta co-organized the Winterville PTA (Parent-Teacher Association) birthday meeting. Attendees were asked to bring a dish for supper, and they gathered in the school gym for an evening of food, fellowship, and fun. Participants were seated at tables according to their birth month. Pennies were collected for each year of an attendee’s age, with the funds intended to help send two outstanding members of the school patrol on an annual trip to Washington, DC, as school representatives.

In May 1955, Vesta assisted James Coile in creating a backdrop for a piano recital for his mother’s students. The backdrop featured a black background with Mount Fuji at its center, viewed through the Prayer Gate of a Shinto Temple. Red gladioli adorned the tops of the two pianos, while potted palms flanked the stage entrance.

The 1955–1956 school term began on September 6, 1955. Back in 1906, the portion of Winterville in Oglethorpe County was transferred to Clarke County. However, in August 1955, the Clarke County school superintendent announced that Winterville students residing in Oglethorpe County would need to transfer to schools within their home county. Vesta and her sister Masina, who were assigned to Winterville Grammar School, were affected by this change. For the 1956–1957 school year, both Vesta and Masina were assigned to Winterville Elementary School.

In April 1957, both Vesta and Masina received approval to continue teaching the following year. While they were currently assigned to Winterville School, their assignments for the next school year were subject to change.

In late June to early July 1958, Vesta embarked on the trip of a lifetime, traveling to Southampton, England, on what appears to be a school-sponsored trip abroad. The RMS Queen Mary’s passenger list for the return journey, arriving in New York on July 8, 1958, included multiple teachers and students. While in London, Vesta stayed at the Bonnington Hotel.

Incoming passenger list for the RMS Queen Mary, 1958

In March 1959, Vesta, along with several family members and approximately 170 other guests, attended the golden wedding anniversary reception for Judge and Mrs. W. W. Armistead in Athens. The home was beautifully adorned with an array of floral and candle arrangements. Refreshments were elegantly served on silver platters. The highlight of the celebration was a three-tiered wedding cake, decorated with lily of the valley and topped with a bride and groom. Even the cake knife was beautifully adorned with ribbon and lilies.

In early November 1959, parents and students were encouraged to attend a Winterville School PTA meeting, where Vesta gave a presentation on her European travels. She shared color slides, highlighting the memorable experiences from her summer trip.

On January 23, 1960, Vesta joined family and friends for a luncheon celebrating the golden wedding anniversary of her brother Howard and his wife, Alma (Webb). The event was held at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education in Athens, affiliated with the University of Georgia. The tables were decorated with yellow mums and King Alfred jonquils, and the centerpiece was a three-tiered wedding cake featuring a white and yellow theme.

Vesta dedicated 44 years to teaching in Morgan, Clarke, Oglethorpe, Fulton, and Rockdale counties. In June 1961, the Winterville school community honored Vesta, her sister Masina, and Connie Hopkins for their remarkable combined teaching service of nearly 100 years.

Masina, Vesta, and Connie Hopkins (photo from Athens Banner-Herald,
REM Studio, 1961)

In June 1963, Vesta was a patient at St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens. She passed away on Christmas Day 1963 in Oglethorpe County. Vesta was laid to rest on December 27 at Bairdstown Cemetery, following a service at Crawford Baptist Church officiated by Revs. Hoyt Miller, William Gafford, and Dan Jordan. She was survived by her sisters Masina, Annie, and Pauline; brothers Howard and William; sister-in-law Mendie (Hayes) Lankford; and several nieces and nephews. Vesta was a member of Lexington Presbyterian Church.

Lankford family plot, Bairdstown Cemetery

In a will filed in June 1958 in Oglethorpe County, Vesta bequeathed her entire estate to her sister Masina, whom she also named as the executrix.

References

• 100 to Finish at University, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, August 20, 1944.
• Around the County, The Taylor County News and the Butler Herald, Butler, Georgia, June 14, 1963.
• Bishop News, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, August 9, 1934.
• Columbus, Georgia, City Directory, 1928.
• Coming Events, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, November 1, 1959.
• County Schools Set Opening Date, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, August 31, 1955.
• Death Takes Mrs. Ella Lankford at Home in Crawford, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, December 10, 1933.
• Dorsey Social News, Madisonian, Madison, Georgia, July 25, 1919, January 30, 1920, and February 20, 1920.
• Dr. Stump, Guest Speaker at Clarke Teachers Meeting, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, December 4, 1946.
• Education Board Approves Teachers for Next Year, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, April 17, 1957.
• Forrest Towns; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forrest_Towns.
• Funeral Notices, Lankford, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, October 23 and 24, 1938.
• Gary, Indiana, City Directory, 1925.
• Goldstein, Evelyn, The Public School in the United States: A Documentary History, 2001.
• Gordon, Felton, Schools Opened at Watkinsville: Three Hundred and Thirty-Two Enrolled as Term Opens Monday, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, September 5, 1933.
• Greene County, Eatonton Messenger, Eatonton, Georgia, January 8, 1915.
• Grover B. Lankford tombstone, Bairdstown Cemetery, Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.
• History of Winterville, Georgia; https://www.cityofwinterville.com/history. 
• Judge and Mrs. Armistead Celebrate Golden Anniversary, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, March 22, 1959.
• Keeping in Touch: Mr. and Mrs. H. Y. Lankford, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, February 5, 1960.
• Lankford Rites Planned Friday, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, December 26, 1963.
• Last Rites Held Sunday for Howard Langford, Oglethorpe Echo, Crawford, Georgia, November 2, 1967.
• Lexington Personal and Social News, The Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, August 31, 1927.
• Local Teachers Report for Duty: Registration of Students Taking Place as Scheduled, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, August 30, 1956.
• Miss Hopkins is Hostess at Home to Mrs. English, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, September 4, 1935.
• Miss Little Guest at Bridge Party: Miss Connie Hopkins Entertains Bride-elect at Crawford Home, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, September 6, 1934.
• Miss Vesta Langford, Madisonian, Madison, Georgia, May 5, 1922.
• Misses Langford Entertain Recent Bride at Shower, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, September 4, 1935.
• More Than 800 Young Women in Attendance at the Summer School, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, July 20, 1918.
• More Than One Hundred Representatives Qualify in The Banner's Great Contest, The Athens Banner, Athens, Georgia, September 27, 1914.
• Morgan County Relief Association, Madisonian, Madison, Georgia, November 25, 1921
• Mr. Chester Lankford, Oglethorpe Echo, Crawford, Georgia, October 27, 1938.
• Mrs. C. S. Coile Presented Pupils in Recital Friday, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, May 29, 1955.
• Mrs. E. H. Griffith Honors Visitors, The Butler Herald, Butler, Georgia, June 16, 1932.
• Mrs. James Mayo is Party Honoree, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, February 16, 1936.
• Oconee County High School: School Bits, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, March 17, 1935.
• Oconee School to Open Next Monday: Phillips Announces Opening Exercises at Watkinsville for Monday, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, August 27, 1934.
• Otis Lankford Dead from Pistol Wound, newspaper and date unknown.
• Our Honor Roll, Madisonian, Madison, Georgia, February 16, 1923.
• Our People, Madisonian, Madison, Georgia, April 11, 1919.
• Out in Society, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, September 21, 1917.
• Personal Mention, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, March 20, 1934, December 23, 1934, August 27, 1935, October 15, 1944, August 7, 1946, and August 6, 1947.
• Personal visit to Bairdstown Cemetery, Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.
• Personals, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, August 7, 1949.
• Prof. Roy David Elected Superintndent [sic] of Oconee County High School at Recent Meeting of Watkinsville School Trustees, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, May 3, 1936.
• Reynolds Department, The Butler Herald, Butler, Georgia, December 6, 1928, December 4, 1930, and June 18, 1931.
• Reynolds Department: Shower for Bride-Elect, Butler Herald, Butler, Georgia, August 23, 1934.
• Robert Lankford, Missouri State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death no. 36755, 1938.
• Rocked by Boys, Kills One; Is Held for Trial, The Atlanta Georgian, Atlanta, Georgia, January 8, 1915.
• Saye, Wade, County Schools Set Opening Date, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, November 1, 1955.
• School Teachers: Morgan County, 1918–1919, Madisonian, Madison, Georgia, October 18, 1918.
• Society, Madisonian, Madison, Georgia, September 16, 1921.
• Tyack, David B., The One Best System: A History of American Urban Education, 1974. 
• U.S. Federal Census, Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1910, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, Bibb City, Muscogee County, Georgia, 1930.
• U.S. Federal Census, Crawford, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1950.
• U.S. Federal Census, Fluker, Greene County, Georgia, 1900.
• U.S. Federal Census, Watkinsville, Oconee County, Georgia, 1940.
• Vesta B Lankford, Georgia, U.S., Death Index, 1919–1998.
• Vesta Bell Lankford, Georgia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records (1958, Oglethorpe County), 1792–1992.
• Vesta Lankford, Southampton, England, 1958; UK and Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878–1960.
• W. M. Lankford Dies Home Friday Funeral Held Today, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, October 8, 1944.
• Watkinsville News, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, July 1, 1934, March 31 and July 21, 1935, February 20, 1936.
• Watkinsville News: Mrs. Johnson Honored, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, February 2, 1936.
• Watkinsville Social News, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, April 25, 1937, and December 12, 1937.
• Watkinsville, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, January 24, and March 25, 1934.
• Watkinsville, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, May 2, 1934.
• Weemie “Weems” Baskin, USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame Special Inductee; https://cahof.ustfccca.org/award-winner/weems-baskin-ustfccca-special-inductee. 
• White School Teachers: Morgan County, GA, 1921–1922, Madisonian, Madison, Georgia, November 18, 1921.
• Winterville PTA Plans Supper Meeting Thursday, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, April 10, 1951.
• Winterville School Community, The Athens Daily Herald, Athens, Georgia, June 27, 1961.
• Winterville, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, September 21, 1917.
• Winterville, The Athens Daily Herald, Athens, Georgia, June 15, 1917.
• Woods, Sam, Visitin’ With the Watkinsville, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, December 10, 1939.
• Woods, Sam, Woods Covers Two Dinner Meetings: Banner-Herald Writer Enjoys Kiwanis and Civitan Meetings Wednesday, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, February 3, 1937. 

Patsy, Peter, Sam, Cynthia, Jenny, and Celia

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

Penfield Baptist Church Minutes: 1839–1885

Page 192
Received the following report of the colored conference July 24, 1853. Brother L. W. Stephens acted as moderator. Patsy, servant of brother B. M. Sanders, appeared for membership by experience, and was received as a candidate for baptism.

Page 227
At a conference of colored members of the church held December 23, 1855, Bro. F. S. Nolan, acting as clerk, letters of dismission were granted to the following servants of Bro. Hillyer: Peter, Sam, Cynthia, Jenny, and Celia.

Reference

Penfield Baptist Church Minutes: 1839 – 1885, pp. 192 and 227, Penfield, Greene County, Georgia, Mercer University Libraries.

Hayden Edgar George, Jr.

Hayden Edgar George, Jr., was born on March 15, 1922, in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, to Hayden Edgar George and Lillie Della Lankford of Greene County, Georgia. Hayden was the youngest of four children, with three older siblings: Dell Louise George (1911), Mary Winnie George (1913), and Marguerite Elizabeth George (1920). He is my 1st cousin 2x removed; our nearest common relatives are James C. Lankford and Mary Ann Wilson, my 2nd grandparents, and Hayden’s grandparents.

In 1923, the George family lived at 57 Woodward Avenue, Atlanta, before moving to 505 Pulliam Street in 1924, which was close to the future site of the Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium built in the 1960s. They moved again in 1925 to 53 Crew Street and in 1926 to 189 Crew Street, where Hayden’s father worked as a mechanic. By April 8, 1930, the family still resided on Crew Street, though his father was unemployed and had previously worked as an automobile machinist. At that time, his 17-year-old sister Winnie was the sole employed person in the household, working as a telephone company operator.

The census record shows a 10-year age difference between Hayden’s parents. When they married, his father was 28 and his mother was 18. Everyone in the home, except for Hayden who was just 3.5 years old, could read and write. Both Hayden and his sister Marguerite were attending school. Hayden went to Crew Street School, a public school located between Washington Street and Capitol Avenue. In November 1931, Hayden was recognized in an Atlanta Journal article for achieving perfect spelling for one week and maintaining perfect attendance for the first quarter of the school year.

From at least 1933 to 1939, the family lived at 62 Clark Street in southwest Atlanta. During this period, his father worked as a mechanic and foreman. On September 18, 1936, Hayden’s father passed away in a private hospital in Fulton County. A memorial service was held at the chapel of Howard L. Carmichael, officiated by Rev. Lawrence Davis, followed by burial at Penfield Cemetery in Penfield, Greene County, Georgia.

In 1938, Hayden worked as a manager, and in 1939, he worked as a delivery man for Atlanta Ribbon and Carbon Company. On April 4, 1940, 18-year-old Hayden and his widowed mother, aged 47, continued to live at the Clark Street home. Hayden, recorded as a ‘new worker,’ worked a 42-hour week from March 24–30, earning $125 in 1939.

On December 15, 1941, a week after Pearl Harbor was attacked, Hayden enlisted in the U.S. Navy in Macon, Georgia. Shortly after his enlistment, he married Nancy Evelyn Blankinship. The couple had two daughters, who remain unnamed for privacy reasons.

Hayden’s naval career was short-lived and nearly cost him his life. On May 19, 1942, he was aboard the U.S. freighter Ogontz when it was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-103 in the Gulf of Mexico, about 70 miles southeast of Cozumel. As he leapt over the side of the ship, his foot got caught in a rope, dragging him deep underwater as the ship sank. An explosion in the ship’s boiler room freed him, bringing his unconscious body back to the surface, where his life jacket kept him afloat. The ship sank that afternoon. Hayden was lucky to escape with only a burst eardrum and a sprained ankle. He was taken to a hospital in New Orleans, from where he wired his wife, whom he had only been married to for a few months, and his mother. News of the event was reported in the Atlanta Constitution on May 28. Tragically, 17 merchant seamen and two armed guard sailors lost their lives, many due to a mast falling across a lifeboat during the evacuation.

Hayden’s wife, Evelyn, and his mother, Della, reading the telegram
and letter (The Atlanta Constitution (H. J. Slayton), Atlanta, Georgia,
May 28, 1942)

Hayden in the hospital (The Atlanta Constitution 
(AP Photo), Atlanta, Georgia, May 29, 1942)

A U.S. Navy World War II muster roll from the U.S. Naval Hospital in Pensacola, Florida, reveals that Hayden, a Seaman Second Class, was honorably discharged on September 24, 1942, due to medical reasons.

Despite his recent discharge, on September 28, 1942, Hayden registered for the World War II draft in Fulton County. At that time, all men aged 18 to 64 were required to register, even those currently or previously in service. Hayden fell within this age range, thus had to comply. Although there is no evidence suggesting he served again after his discharge, his registration card provides a snapshot of his life at age 20. He listed his address as 22 Georgia Avenue in southwest Atlanta, with Mrs. H. George of the Clark Street home noted as the contact who would always know his address—likely his mother. Hayden stood 6 feet tall, weighed 165 pounds, and had blue eyes, brown hair, and a ruddy complexion.

Hayden’s World War II draft registration card (front)

Hayden’s World War II draft registration card (back)

In 1944, Hayden and Evelyn lived at 64 Memorial Drive SE, Apartment 133, in Atlanta, where Hayden worked as a checker. By 1948, they had moved to Apartment 100 at 240 Fraser SE in Atlanta, with Hayden now working as a photographer for the Atlanta Portrait Company. Before the 1950 census, Hayden and Evelyn separated. On April 1, 1950, Hayden was boarding at the home of Ernest M. and Annie K. Coppedge at 559 Erin Avenue in SW Atlanta, near the Capitol View neighborhood, continuing his work as a photographer for the Atlanta Portrait Company. Also boarding there was Buren Hendricks, a 36-year-old stock clerk at a meat packing plant, while his wife and daughters (ages six and four) lived at 240 Fraser Street in SE Atlanta. Evelyn was unemployed.

Around late 1950 or early 1951, Hayden married Nora Levon Ford and they lived at 863 Washington Street in SW Atlanta. Hayden worked as a locksmith at the National Key Shop. The couple had three children together: a daughter and two sons (names withheld for privacy).

Hayden served as a pallbearer at his maternal uncle Oliver Wilson Langford’s funeral at McCommons Chapel, followed by burial at Penfield Cemetery, on August 24, 1957. His name was spelled “Hyden” in the obituary. At that time, Hayden lived in Hapeville, Fulton County, Georgia. In November 1970, Hayden was employed as a locksmith at Emory University in Atlanta, where he had the opportunity to fashion a key to unlock an old, pre-Civil War safe found during a renovation project at Oxford College in Oxford, Georgia. The safe turned out to be empty.

Hayden George with safe (The Atlanta Journal, November 23, 1970)

Hayden’s sister, Marguerite (George) Spears, passed away in Cobb County, Georgia, on February 27, 1973. She was buried at Georgia Memorial Park in Marietta, Cobb County, Georgia, following a March 2 funeral service. Hayden lived in Hapeville, Fulton County, Georgia, at the time of her death.

On June 12, 1980, Hayden’s mother, Della, passed away in Clayton County, Georgia, and was buried at Forest Hills Memorial Gardens in Forest Park, Clayton County, Georgia.

Hayden, who lived in Forest Park, passed away at the age of 68 on January 10, 1991, and was buried at Forest Hills Memorial Gardens in Forest Park on January 12, following a funeral service at the Parkway Garden Chapel. He was survived by his wife Nora, three daughters, two sons, sisters Mary and Louise, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

References

• Ahmad, Zahra, The Germans torpedoed a ship during World War II: The wreck is now revealing secrets about underwater mudslides, Science, August 21, 2017. 
• Crew School Garden Planned by Teachers, The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Georgia, November 15, 1931.
• Crew Street School, Digital Library of Georgia; https://dlg.usg.edu/record/geh_athpc_1592. 
• Hayden E. George, Atlanta, Georgia, City Directory, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1944, 1948, 1951.
• Hayden E. George, Georgia Deaths, 1919–98.
• Hayden E. George, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, September 20, 1936.
• Hayden Edgar George, Jr., U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938–1949.
• Hayden Edgar George, U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1898–1929.
• Hayden Edgar George, U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850–2010.
• Hayden George photo, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, May 28, 1942.
• Hollingsworth, Mary, Oxford Transplant: Homely Old Safe Sound at Emory, The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Georgia, November 23, 1970.
• Lillie Dale McCollum, The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Georgia, June 14, 1980.
• Obituary, Hayden E. George Jr., The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, January 11, 1991. 
• Obituary, Marguerite Spears, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, March 1, 1973.
• Smilin’ Through, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, May 29, 1942.
• U.S. Federal Census, Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, 1930, 1940, 1950.
• Up From Depths, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, May 28, 1942.
• Vessel Sunk, Blast Saves Atlantan’s Life, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, May 28, 1942. 

Lucy Ann and Solomon, property of Columbus L. Burk

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

Temperance Crusader, Penfield, Georgia, March 22, 1856

Greene Sheriff’s Sale.

Will be sold before the Court House door in the town of Greenesboro, Greene county, on the first Tuesday in May next, within the legal hours of sale, the following property, to-wit:

Two negroes, a girl by the name of Lucy Ann, and a boy by the name of Solomon, levied on as the property of Columbus L. Burk, to satisfy one mortgage fi fa from Greene Inferior Court, in favor of Redmon T. Asbury, vs. Columbus L. Burke. Property pointed out in said mortgage.

T. F. FOSTER, D. Sheriff.

March 1

Alexander Braidwood

Alexander Braidwood was born in 1854 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, to James Braidwood and Christina Martin. He was baptized in Sheffield on November 12, 1854, suggesting a birth date in late October or early November. Alexander had three sisters: Mary (born 1857), Christina (born 1861), and Martha (born 1863). He is the 1st cousin 3x removed of my husband, with their nearest common relatives being Andrew Braidwood and Mary Liddell, my husband’s 3rd great-grandparents and Alexander’s grandparents.

By the time Mary was born on April 22, 1857, the family had moved to Hutchesontown, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland. When Christina was born on January 13, 1861, they lived at 394 Springburn Road in the Flemington community of Springburn, Lanarkshire. At six years old, Alexander was attending school, while his younger sister Mary was four, and baby sister Christina was just three months old. Their father worked as a file cutter/journeyman, a skilled occupation involving the shaping and cutting of files—tools used for smoothing or shaping metal and other materials. File cutters manually cut the teeth into files using chisels and hammers. The family’s home had at least one room with one or more windows.

1861 Scotland census

When Martha was born on October 8, 1863, the family resided on Coburg Place in Springburn. James, Alexander’s father, now worked as a file maker. Less than four years later, James passed away at home at 441 Springburn Road on February 27, 1867, in Springburn, due to paralysis. At the time, Alexander was 13, Mary was 9, Christina was 6, and Martha was 3.

1863 death register for Alexander’s father, James Braidwood

James was buried on March 2 in Lair 4964 at Eastern Necropolis Cemetery in Glasgow, a plot owned by Alexander’s grandfather, Andrew Braidwood.

Eastern Necropolis Cemetery register for James Braidwood

On October 13, 1868, Alexander’s mother married her second husband, Thomas Spencer Freer, at 394 Springburn Road. Thomas, a bachelor, worked as an engine fitter.

1868 marriage register for Christina Martin Braidwood’s marriage to
Thomas Freer

In 1871, Alexander continued to live at 441 Springburn Road with his mother, stepfather Thomas Freer, and sisters Mary (12), Christina (10), and Martha (6). Like his father, Alexander was employed as a file cutter, while his sisters were scholars. His stepfather Thomas worked as a file manufacturer.

1871 Scotland census

Mary, aged 17, married Joseph Bowman, aged 21, son of Joseph Bowman and Jane Clark, on September 1, 1876, at her residence at 102 Foundry Place in Glasgow, St. Rollox, Lanark, Scotland. Mary was employed as a milliner and recorded as a spinster. Alexander and his sister Christina were witnesses at the ceremony.

1876 marriage register for Mary Braidwood’s marriage to Joseph Bowman

In 1881, Alexander boarded with David and Rebecca Davis at 66 Vulcan Street in the civil parish of Garston, Lancashire, England. David and Rebecca had a seven-year-old son named Thomas Daniel Davis. Alexander worked as a grinder.

1881 England census

On December 29, 1883, Alexander married Annie McCabe at Parish Church in Liverpool, Lancashire, England. He was a 27-year-old bachelor, and she was a 23-year-old spinster. Alexander worked as a file grinder, shaping and smoothing file blanks using grinding stones. This job involved wet grinding to reduce dust and heat, but it was dangerous. Grinders often developed respiratory diseases from inhaling metal and stone dust or could be injured when the spinning wheel shattered. Despite the risks, skilled grinders earned a decent wage, producing high-quality tools essential for various industries.

Although recorded as a spinster with no occupation, Annie had previously worked as a domestic servant. In 1881, at the age of 20, she lived and worked at the Palatine Hotel located at 1 Island Road in Garston, Liverpool. The head of the household was Susannah Hitchmough, a licensed victualler. In 1881, a licensed victualler was someone who held a license to sell alcoholic beverages, typically operating establishments such as inns, taverns, or alehouses. The Palatine Hotel was likely a pub. The 1881 census also recorded a 16-year-old female domestic servant and a 30-year-old male coachman living in the household. Alexander’s father, James, was a file cutter, and Annie’s father, James McCabe, was a bricklayer. The marriage record did not note that Alexander’s father was deceased. It is likely that Alexander and Annie met in Garston since both lived there. Perhaps he met her while stopping by the Palatine Hotel pub for a drink after a hard day’s work.

1883 marriage register for Alexander Braidwood’s marriage to Annie McCabe

Alexander and Annie were blessed with two children: Christina Braidwood, born in December 1884, and Alexander Braidwood, born in September 1886, both in Carlisle, Cumberland, England. Sometime after Christina’s birth, the family relocated back to Scotland.

At the age of 30, Alexander died suddenly on June 20, 1888, from a ruptured blood vessel in Bridgeton, Lanarkshire, Scotland. The death register records his death as taking place at 2 Newhall Street in Glasgow. At the time of his burial, Alexander’s children were just four and one years old.

1888 death register for Alexander Braidwood

The Glasgow Herald published a death notice on June 22, 1888. It is unclear why Australian papers would need to copy Alexander’s death notice:

Deaths.

Braidwood.—Suddenly, on the 20th inst., Alexander Braidwood, son of the late James Braidwood, file manufacturer.—Australian papers, please copy.

Alexander’s death notice, Glasgow Herald, Glasgow, Scotland, June 22, 1888

Alexander was laid to rest in Lair 4964 at Eastern Necropolis Cemetery in Glasgow on June 23. 

Eastern Necropolis Cemetery register for Alexander Braidwood

Lair 4964 was owned by Alexander’s grandfather, Andrew Braidwood, who also held Lair 4963. Between these two lairs, 13 other family members are interred.

Eastern Necropolis Cemetery lairholder register, lairs 4963 and 4964

I believe the Newhall address recorded on both the death and burial registers was the home of Alexander’s sister Christina, the recorded informant on the death register, which also listed that as the location of Alexander’s death. Christina and the Newhall address were also recorded on the burial register. The sheet listing Alexander on the burial register did not have any column headings, but further examination revealed it was “Relation to Deceased and Residence at Death.” The 1886 Glasgow electoral register of female municipal voters shows that a “Mrs. Christina Braidwood” resided at 2 Newhall Street. Given that Alexander’s mother had remarried and was now Christina Freer, I believe that Alexander’s sister Christina was incorrectly given the title “Mrs.” on the electoral register and that Alexander’s death occurred at her home. Unfortunately, it is unclear who was the actual head of the household, Alexander or his sister. She was still residing there in 1890. Of course, my assumptions could be wrong, and this could have been his mother recorded as Mrs. Braidwood. It has gotten confusing with so many named Alexander and Christina Braidwood. If you are researching this family, be warned!

It is intriguing that Alexander’s wife, Annie, was not the informant on his death and burial registers, which might suggest they were separated at the time of his death. Annie did remarry in 1896 to a man named Allan McLean, and they had a son together, also named Allan McLean. Annie passed away in Govanhill, Glasgow, Scotland, in 1928. She was recorded as the widow of her first husband, Alexander Braidwood, a file cutter, and her second husband, Allan McLean, a tube work laborer. The informant on Annie’s death register was Alexander and Annie’s daughter, Christina Braidwood McKean.

1928 death register for Annie (McCabe) Braidwood McLean

References

• Alex Braidwood, Eastern Necropolis Cemetery, Daily interment books, December 1885-December 1897, image 219, 1888; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-N3ZK-1V32?cat=1323530&i=218. 
• Alexander Braidwood, Liverpool, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1935, 1883.
• Alexander Braidwood, Register of Parliamentary Voters, Burgh of Glasgow, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1857-1962.
• Alexander Braidwood, Statutory registers Deaths 644/1 610, National Records of Scotland, 1888.
• Alexander Braidwood, Statutory registers Deaths 644/6 116, National Records of Scotland, 1934.
• Alexander Bredwood, England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538–1975.
• Andrew Braidwood lair, Eastern Necropolis Cemetery, Glasgow, Scotland, Burial Records 1800–1970; https://www.familysearch.org/search/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSJ9-KXP4?view=explore&groupId=M9HH-5FG. 
• Annie Mc Cabe, Lancashire, Garston, District 16, England census, 1881.
• Christina Braidwood, Census 622/29/20, National Records of Scotland, 1871.
• Christina Braidwood, Statutory registers Births 622/2 21, National Records of Scotland, 1861.
• Christina Braidwood, Statutory registers Marriages 622/2 49, National Records of Scotland, 1868.
• Civil parish Garston, County Lancashire, England census, 1881.
• Deaths, Glasgow Herald, Glasgow, Scotland, June 22, 1888.
• James Braidwood, Census 622/25/2, National Records of Scotland, 1861.
• James Braidwood, Eastern Necropolis Cemetery, Daily interment books, 1861-January 1874, image 314, 1867; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSRF-K88R?cat=1323530&i=313. 
• James Braidwood, Statutory registers Deaths 622/2 104, National Records of Scotland, 1867.
• Martha Braidwood, Statutory registers Births 622/2 333, National Records of Scotland, 1863.
• Mrs. Christina Braidwood (1886, 1890), List of Female Municipal Voters, Burgh of Glasgow, 1889–1890, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1857–1962.
• St. Peter’s Church (1883), Liverpool, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom, Marriage Records Sep 19, 1883–Jun 9, 1884, image 60; https://www.familysearch.org/search/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G965-9WMJ?view=explore&groupId=M932-FY3. 
• Starmans, Barbara J., Occupations: File Grinders of Sheffield, May 31, 2015; https://www.thesocialhistorian.com/file-grinders-of-sheffield/. 
• Tracing your ancestors who worked in pubs, Pub History Society (PHS); https://www.pubhistorysociety.co.uk/PDF-Dowloads/ancestors.pdf. 

Frederick Johnson mortgages 10 negroes to Benjamin Cook

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

Greene, Georgia, United States Deed 1819

For the latter securing the payment of the above two notes of hand say a forty-four hundred and twenty dollars I make, own the right and title of seven negroes by way of mortgage to wit: John, Amar, Eliza and her child Nancy, Dolly a woman, Miki a lad of sixteen, Jack a boy of seven years old, which seven negroes I warrant and defend the right and title to Benjamin Cook for the better security of the above sum of money one note next January for twenty-one hundred and twenty-five dollars and the other for twenty-two hundred and ninety-five dollars the first of January twelve months after. In witness whereof, I have set my hand and seal this 15th of January 1818.

Frederick Johnson

Witness J. W. Foster

Rec’d twenty-two hundred and ninety-five dollars in other notes in which case the last part of the mortgage is settled.

Benjamin Cook

This day, I, Frederick Johnson, have delivered to Benjamin Cook, Mike a mulatto boy at eight hundred dollars, also Liza and her child Mary, at nine hundred dollars in part pay for the last notes of twenty-one hundred and twenty-five dollars mentioned in the within mortgage.

Frederick Johnson
27th February 1819

Recorded 17th November 1819
Ebenezer Torrence, Clerk 

Reference

Greene, County, Georgia, Deeds 1818–1821, 1821–1826, image 149, FamilySearch.