John Mercer, Guardian, received Daniel, Jenney, Jerry, and Jude from estate of Park Watson

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

Received March 9th 1822, of Douglas Watson Admr. of Park J. Watson, deceased, four negroes (viz), Daniel a negro man valued at $580. Jenney a negro woman valued at $350. Jerry, a negro boy valued at $100. Jude, a negro woman valued at $75, and Mary Watsons note of hand for $20, amounting in all to eleven hundred and twenty-five dollars.

John Mercer, Guardian

Test Mary Watson

Sarahan

Reference

Greene County, Georgia, Probate Estate Case Files 1790–1943, image 115, FamilySearch.  

Rebecca “Ree” M. Bryant

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.

Rebecca M. Bryant was born on January 28, 1895, in Oglethorpe County, Georgia, to Eugene Herbert Bryant and Nancy Tallulah “Lula” Bouchelle. She was one of 14 children, with siblings Leroy Bryant, Clinton Bouchelle Bryant, J. Iverson Bryant, Nellie Lynne Bryant, Mamie Bryant, Hugh Crawford Bryant, Herbert Alexander Bryant, Clark Howell Bryant Sr., Clyde Bryant (a female), Emily Elizabeth Bryant, Noel T. Bryant, William M. Bryant, and an unnamed infant son. Nicknamed Ree, Rebecca is my 2nd cousin 3x removed. Our closest shared ancestors are her great-grandparents, Charles L. Lankford and Miss Moore, who are my 4th great-grandparents. Her grandmother, Elizabeth Ann Lankford, was a sibling to my 3rd great grandfather, James Meriweather Lankford.

Before Ree’s birth, the family endured the loss of two children: J. Iverson Bryant passed away in infancy on December 12, 1887, at just 10 months old, and was buried at Bairdstown Cemetery in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County. Nellie Lynne Bryant tragically died on December 30, 1892, just shy of her fourth birthday, after suffering severe burns. She, too, was laid to rest at Bairdstown Cemetery.

By June 5, 1900, the Bryant family resided in the Falling Creek district of Maxeys, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. At that time, Ree’s parents had been married for 18 years. Her mother, Lula, was recorded as the mother of nine children, seven of whom were still living. Eugene, a farmer, owned the family home. Leroy, Clinton, Mamie, and Hugh were attending school, while five-year-old Ree (mistakenly listed as a son) stayed home with her younger brothers, Herbert (3) and Clark (1, mistakenly recorded as Mark). The household also included two black servants, Jurls Kidd (21, a farm laborer) and Hattie Alere (20, a cook), though the names are somewhat difficult to read with certainty.

On November 15, 1909, the Bryant family faced a third devastating loss with the death of an infant son. The tombstone inscription, “Infant Son of E. H. & N. T. Bryant,” suggests he was likely stillborn. He was laid to rest in the Bryant family plot at Bairdstown Cemetery.

By April 19, 1910, Ree and her family remained in the Falling Creek district of Maxeys. At this time, her parents had been married 28 years. The census record listed her mother as the mother of 11 children, all supposedly alive, though this was incorrect. Ree’s father, a farmer on a general farm, owned their home, which was classified as a farm, free and clear. Ree’s brothers, Hugh (17) and Herbert (12), were working as farm laborers on the family farm. Her sister Mamie (19) was neither employed nor attending school. Ree (16) was attending school alongside her siblings Hugh, Herbert, Clark, Clyde, and Emily. Except for Emily, Noel, and William, all the children could read and write. Ree’s widowed grandfather, William Bryant, along with her aunts Sarah and Rebecca, and uncle Jasper lived three doors away. 

Tragically, Ree’s brother Noel passed away on November 27, 1912, at the age of seven. He, too, was buried at Bairdstown Cemetery.

Despite extensive searches on multiple online genealogy sites, I have been unable to locate Ree in the 1920 census. She was no longer living at home or with any of her siblings. However, I did find a news article regarding the Winfield School in Thomson, Georgia, which provided insight into Ree’s early career.

Ree’s entry into the workforce was one of service. When school opened in September 1921, she was teaching the first and second grades. The school offered classes from at least first through eleventh grades and had an enrollment of 66 students. At that time, the school appeared to have only four teachers, each overseeing multiple grades. Ree was living in Maxeys, approximately 53 miles away from Thomson, so it is unclear whether she commuted or lived in Thomson during the school year.

In October 1926, Ree’s name was nominated by a friend for the Athens Popular Lady Contest sponsored by the Northeast Georgia Calf Club and Poultry Show under the Athens Chamber of Commerce. The Banner-Herald in Athens published a list of several hundred young women who were nominated, along with a free voting coupon for readers to submit their votes.

In early January 1930, Ree appeared on a list of shareholders for the Mutual Building and Loan Association, which was published in The Banner-Herald. She was set to receive a seven percent per annum dividend.

By April 2, 1930, Ree was residing as a bookkeeper at Saint Mary’s Hospital on Milledge Avenue in Athens, in Militia District 216 of Clarke County, Georgia. She lived with a 28-year-old female superintendent named Jewel Haralson and 14 female student nurses, ranging in age from 18 to 28. Ree continued to live at St. Mary’s Hospital and work as a bookkeeper in 1931.

In June 1932, Ree slipped while getting out of a car in front of the nurses’ home at St. Mary’s Hospital and broke her ankle.

Ree often spent time in Atlanta with friends, including Joseph “Joe” Carlton Fambro. In September 1932, Ree, Joe, his daughter Edith “Gwendolyn” Fambro, and a friend named Nell Seagraves were there. They made at least two trips there in 1933, in May and August. In October 1934, Ree, Joe, and Gwendolyn spent a Sunday in Atlanta. In September 1935, Ree, Joe, and Gwendolyn once again traveled to Atlanta, accompanying a Miss Jackson, likely a nurse friend of Ree’s, who would be attending training at Grady Hospital.

Ree’s brother, Leroy, a well-known medical doctor in Maxeys, passed away there on September 24, 1932, after suffering from pneumonia. He was buried at Sunset Street Cemetery in Maxeys. In mid-August 1933, Ree traveled to Gary, Indiana, and Chicago, Illinois, to visit relatives. While in Chicago, Ree planned to attend the Century of Progress Exposition, also known as the World’s Fair. In July 1934, Ree went on a vacation in Clayton, Georgia, located in Rabun County and surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains.

By April 1, 1935, Ree was living in Athens. In early October 1935, Ree and friends, including Joe and his daughter Gwendolyn, attended a fair in Atlanta. This was likely the Southeastern Fair held at the Lakewood Fairgrounds, a popular annual event featuring rides, carnival games, fireworks, live acts, livestock exhibition halls, and, of course, food. Later, they also held nightly stock car races around a small lake. The home I grew up in Atlanta was just down the street from the fairgrounds, and we attended every fall. If I recall correctly, the school system passed out free passes to all the students. Ree may have even ridden the wooden roller coaster featured, and eventually destroyed, in the Smokey and the Bandit movies.

Ree’s brother, Clinton, passed away suddenly in Athens on June 14, 1935. He was laid to rest at Stephens Cemetery following a service at Prince Avenue Baptist Church.

In late July 1935, Ree spent several days in Atlanta visiting friends and relatives. Coincidentally, Joe and Gwendolyn were also in Atlanta visiting friends. In mid-December, Ree and Joe traveled to Maxeys to visit Ree’s parents. In November 1935, Ree was one of over 400 residents of Athens who subscribed to the Salvation Army’s maintenance fund campaign for 1936.

In January 1936, Ree, along with her brother Clark and his wife Sarah, traveled to Maxeys to visit their parents.

In February 1936, Ree purchased “Iris City” stamps sold by the Tallulah Falls Circle to advertise Athens throughout the country and raise funds for Tallulah Falls Industrial School scholarships. The stamps were used to mail letters and raise awareness about Athens to prospective tourists.

In early July 1936, Ree, Joe, Gwendolyn, and Joe’s sister Sue joined Ree’s parents for dinner in honor of her brother Herbert, who was visiting from Gary, Indiana. Sometime after that visit, Ree traveled to New York, returning home by the end of July.

In mid-September 1936, Ree, Joe, and Sue traveled to Bowersville, located in northeast Georgia in Hart County, near the South Carolina border, to visit Dick Ferguson. While there, they stopped in Royston, Georgia, about seven miles away, to pick up Lettie Burnett, who traveled back to Athens with them. Ree spent a Saturday in mid-November in Atlanta.

Ree’s engagement to Joe, whose parents were Augustus “Gus” A. Fambro and Nancy Emily “Emma” Spinks, was announced in The Atlanta Constitution on December 13, 1936. Before the announcement, Ree spent several days visiting her parents in Maxeys. After at least four years of dating, Ree and Joe were married in Athens on Sunday, December 27, 1936, at 2:30 p.m. in a ceremony officiated by Dr. James C. Wilkinson, pastor. Ree wore a stylish gray outfit with green highlights and matching accessories.

The couple honeymooned in Florida before returning to their home on Oak Street in Athens. A wedding announcement praised Ree, stating, “her genial happy personality is beloved by all who knew her.” Joe was well-known in Athens from a business perspective and was considered “quite popular.” Guests presented the newlyweds with an array of gifts, including silver, china, glass, and personal items.

Joe, a widower, was previously married to Pearl Virginia Dickerson on October 31, 1914, in Athens. Tragically, Pearl passed away just two years later, in September 1916, following a brief illness, leaving Joe to care for Gwendolyn, born in September 1915, alone. At the time of Joe’s first marriage, he worked in the retail grocery industry in Athens.

After Pearl’s death, Joe and Gwendolyn moved in with his parents in Athens. Joe’s 1918 World War I draft registration card described him as of medium height and stout build, with blue eyes and dark brown hair.

Gwendolyn married Jerome Phillips Stovall in Clarke County on February 19, 1939.

On May 16, 1940, Ree and Joe resided in the Princeton Factory community of Athens. Above their entry, the census enumerator noted, “Here begins enumeration of Fair Haven Sanitarium.” Immediately after their entry, he added, “Here ends enumeration of Fair Haven Sanitarium, only [unreadable] are living in nurse’s cottage as caretaker’s sanitarium has been closed 2 years.”

Ree worked as a hostess in the general hospital industry, classified as government work. In the 1940s, a hospital hostess greeted patients and visitors, assisted with paperwork, coordinated meals, maintained cleanliness, and supported nursing staff. The census enumerator recorded ‘40’ in the hours worked column, but ‘0’ in the weeks worked column and ‘0’ in the income column, indicating she had no other income. This suggests that Ree might have been a volunteer rather than an employee. Joe worked a 36-hour week as a salesman at a retail grocery, earning $540 annually. Ree had attended three years of college, while Joe had a seventh-grade education.

On April 15, 1941, Ree’s mother, Nancy, passed away suddenly. She was laid to rest on April 17 at Bairdstown Cemetery following a service at the Baptist Church in Maxeys.

Ree’s husband, Joe (aged 57), tragically died on March 23, 1943, at Athens General Hospital from injuries sustained when he was struck by a police patrol car early on March 21 in front of his Prince Avenue home. The accident occurred as he stepped out of a taxi cab into the path of the police car during heavy rain. Despite efforts to avoid him, the police car swerved and crashed into a telephone pole. Joe’s funeral was held at Oconee Street Methodist Church. According to his obituary, he was buried at Tuckston Cemetery. Joe’s death certificate records his place of burial as Athens, GA/Tuckston. However, Find-A-Grave has a memorial for him at Lester Cemetery, including a gravestone photo, making it difficult to confirm the correct location.

The physician who signed Joe’s death certificate was C. H. Bryant, MD, of Comer, Georgia, who was Ree’s brother, Clark Howell Bryant. As there was no hospital in Comer, he would have used the Athens General Hospital, the primary medical facility in the region. In addition to Ree, Joe was survived by his daughter, Gwendolyn; sister, Sue; brother, Grady; and grandson, James Carlton Stovall. A native of Clarke County and a lifelong resident of Athens, Joe was a beloved figure in the community and had worked in the grocery business for many years. He was also a member of the Elks Club.

Ree’s father, Eugene, passed away at the age of 90 in Atlanta on June 14, 1948. He was laid to rest on June 16 at Bairdstown Cemetery following a service at the Christian Church in Maxeys.

On April 10, 1950, a widowed Ree lived as a roomer, along with six others, in the home of David L. and Vivian Earnest in Athens. Ree worked a 40-hour week as a receptionist in a doctor’s office. At least two others in the home also worked in the health industry. In late August 1951, Ree spent time in the General Hospital for a “continued illness.”

The 1960s were unkind to the Bryant family, with Ree losing four of her siblings. The first was her brother Hugh, who passed away in Greensboro, Greene County, Georgia, on July 27, 1962, following an extended illness. He was buried at Bairdstown Cemetery following a service at Bairdstown Baptist Church. At that time, Ree lived in Maxeys. Ree’s sister Mamie passed away in Lowndes County, Georgia, on January 15, 1965, and was buried at West Hill Cemetery in Dalton, Whitfield County, Georgia. Her brother William passed away in DeKalb County, Georgia, on April 17, 1967. He was laid to rest at Decatur Cemetery in Decatur, DeKalb County, on April 19, following a service at Trinity Chapel. Ree’s brother Herbert passed away in Baldwin County, Georgia, on March 15, 1969, and was buried at Bairdstown Cemetery.

Ree passed away in Fulton County, Georgia, on October 23, 1974. She was buried at Bairdstown Cemetery. A retired receptionist, Ree was a member of Maxeys Christian Church.

Bryant family plot, Bairdstown Cemetery

References

• $231,500 Subscribed Capital: Mutual Building and Loan Association Announces First Semi-Annual Dividend Paid January 1, 1930, The Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, January 5, 1930.
• Athens, Georgia, City Directory, 1931.
• Bryant, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, April 18, 1967.
• Dickerson-Fambro, Athens Banner, Athens, Georgia, November 1, 1914.
• Edith Gwendolyn Fambro, Georgia, U.S., Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828–1978. 
• Edith Gwendolyn Fambro, U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
• Engagements, Bryant-Fambro, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, December 13, 1936.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/149955706/mamie_l-foster: accessed February 10, 2025), memorial page for Mamie L Bryant Foster (10 Mar 1891–15 Jan 1965), Find a Grave Memorial ID 149955706, citing West Hill Cemetery, Dalton, Whitfield County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Mike Borja (contributor 47317107).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/83711335/joseph_carlton-fambro: accessed February 9, 2025), memorial page for Joseph Carlton Fambro (26 Jan 1886–23 Mar 1943), Find a Grave Memorial ID 83711335, citing Lester Cemetery, Athens, Clarke County, Georgia, USA; maintained by D.J. (contributor 46939014).
• Funeral on Monday for Dr. Leroy Bryant, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, September 26, 1932.
• Funeral Services Are Held for C. B. Bryant Yesterday, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, June 16, 1935.
• Help Your Favorite Candidate to Win!, The Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, October 21, 1926.
• Hugh Crawford Bryant, Oglethorpe Echo, Crawford, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, August 2, 1962.
• Injuries Are Fatal to Joe Fambro; Services Wednesday, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, March 23, 1943.
• J. Iverson Bryant, Noel T. Bryant, Nellie Lynn Bryant, Herbert A. Bryant, and Infant Son Bryant tombstones, Bairdstown Cemetery, Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.
• Joe Carlton Fambro, U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918.
• Joseph C. Fambro, Georgia Deaths, 1919–98.
• Joseph Carlton Fambro, Certificate of Death no. 91 4597, Georgia Department of Public Health, 1943.
• Lakewood Fairgrounds; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakewood_Fairgrounds. 
• Luce, Cortlandt F., Jr., Southeastern Fair at Lakewood Park, https://dlg.usg.edu/record/geh_athpc_677.
• Mamie B. Foster, Herbert A. Bryant, Georgia, U.S., Death Index, 1919–1998.
• Maxeys Matters, Oglethorpe Echo, Crawford, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, January 5, 1893.
• Maxeys News, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, December 15, 1935, January 17, 1936, July 5, 1936, December 13, 1936.
• Miss Ree Bryant Weds Mr. Joseph Carlton Fambro Sunday, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, December 28, 1936.
• More Athens Business Firms and Individuals Buy Stamps, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, February 11, 1936.
• Mr. E. H. Bryant, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, June 16, 1948.
• Mrs. Joe Fambro to be Buried This P.M.: Died, After Protracted Illness, at Home of Mother at Hartwell, Athens Banner, Athens, Georgia, September 10, 1916.
• Mrs. Nancy Tallulah Bryant, Oglethorpe Echo, Crawford, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, April 24, 1941.
• Mrs. Rebecca Sambro, Augusta Chronicle, Augusta, Georgia, October 24, 1974.
• Nancy T. Bryant, Georgia Deaths, 1919–98.
• Nearly 400 Athenians Aid Salvation Army’s 1936 Maintenance Fund, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, November 3, 1935.
• Pearl Virginia Dickinson, Georgia, U.S., Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• Personal Mention, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, August 20, 1933, September 1, 1933, July 16, 1934, October 9, 1934, September 15, 1936.
• Personal Mention, The Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, June 20, 1932, September 8, 1932, September 22, 1932, May 10, 1933, August 16, 1933, July 29, 1935, September 17, 1935, October 9, 1935.
• Personal visit to Bryant Family Plot, Bairdstown Cemetery, Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.
• Personals, Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, July 30, 1936, November 23, 1936, August 30, 1951.
• Rebecca B. Fambro, Georgia Deaths, 1919–98.
• Ree Bryant, Georgia, Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• U.S. Federal Census, Athens Ward 1, Clarke County, Georgia, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, Athens, Clarke County, Georgia, 1950.
• U.S. Federal Census, Athens, Princeton Factory, Clarke County, Georgia, 1940.
• U.S. Federal Census, Falling Creek, Maxeys, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1900, 1910, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, Militia District 216, Clarke County, Georgia, 1930.
• Winfield News, The McDuffie Progress, Thomson, Georgia, September 2, 1921. 

Daniel Grant, Guardian, received Tony, Manda, Eli, and Will from estate of Park Watson

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

Received, March the 8th, 1822, of Douglas Watson, administrator of the estate of Park J. Watson, deceased, four negroes (viz.) Tony, a negro man valued at $600. Manda, a negro girl valued at $300. Eli, a negro boy valued at $150 and Will, a negro man valued at $50, and Mary Watsons note of hand for $25 amounting in all to eleven hundred and twenty-five dollars.

Daniel Grant, Guardian

Test, John Mercer 

Reference

Greene County, Georgia, Probate Estate Case Files 1790–1943, image 114, FamilySearch. 

Mary Durie Athya

Mary Durie Athya was born on August 26, 1897, to James Wylie Athya and Jemima Durie in Mossend, Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Mary was one of 11 children, including siblings James Athya, Jane “Jeanie” Durie Athya, Margaret Wylie Athya, Elizabeth Durie Athya, James Athya, Isabella Gilchrist Athya, Robert Durie Athya, John Durie Athya, George Durie Athya, and David Durie Athya. Like six of her siblings, Mary was given her mother’s maiden name as her middle name, a common Scottish practice. Two other siblings were given the middle names Wylie and Gilchrist, also family names. Mary’s paternal grandmother was Jane Wylie, and her paternal great-grandmother was Margaret Gilchrist. This naming tradition honors ancestors and keeps these family names alive for future generations. Mary is my husband’s great-aunt, with their nearest common relatives being her parents and my husband’s great grandparents.

Mary’s parents, who married in the Gorbals District of Glasgow, Scotland in 1877, had been married for 20 years when she was born. Tragically, they lost four children before her birth: James, born in 1876, lived less than one month; Jane, born in 1878, died at age 10 in 1888; a second son named James, born in 1883, was three and a half months old when he died in 1884; and John, born in 1890, was just over one year of age when he died in 1891. Mary’s father worked as a journeyman joiner, a skilled craftsman who worked with wood.

Birth register

In 1901, the Athya family resided on Hope Street in the civil parish of Dalziel in Motherwell, Lanarkshire, Scotland. John and Rosina Beck lived in the home as boarders. Mary’s father, James, worked as a joiner. Her brothers, Robert, George, and David, attended school, while Mary, aged 3, stayed at home with her mother, Jemima. The home consisted of two rooms with one or more windows.

1901 Scotland census

On June 6, 1902, the Athya family gathered for the marriage of Mary’s sister, Margaret, to John Close in Springburn, Glasgow. Their sister, Elizabeth, was one of two witnesses for the nuptials. At the time, Margaret, a 22-year-old spinster, lived at 111 Campsie Street in Glasgow. Their father, James, was employed as a railway wagon builder journeyman.

This joyous time was followed by two tragic events in the Athya family. The first was the death of Mary’s sister, Isabella, on June 21, just 15 days after Margaret’s wedding. Isabella likely died suddenly from cardiac disease syncope, a condition where a person faints because their heart is not able to pump enough blood to their brain. This can happen due to heart problems like irregular heartbeats or blockages in the heart valves. Isabella’s death occurred at 135 Campsie Street.

The second tragic event took place just over two months later. Two days after her fifth birthday, Mary died on August 28, 1902, after suffering from tuberculosis meningitis for 10 days. Both Isabella and Mary’s deaths took place at 135 Campsie Street in Springburn, Lanarkshire, Glasgow, so it was likely their home. Given that Margaret lived at 111 Campsie Street when she married in June, it is unclear if she lived separately from the rest of the Athya family or if a move took place during the summer months. 

Death register

Mary was buried in Lair 859, owned by her great grandfather, Isaac Athya, at Southern Necropolis Cemetery in Glasgow, Scotland.

Register of interments, Southern Necropolis Cemetery

 References

• David Athya, Statutory Registers Births 625/3 157, National Records of Scotland, 1894.
• Elizabeth Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/6 1019, National Records of Scotland, 1942.
• George Durie Athya, Statutory Registers Births 625/1 452, National Records of Scotland, 1892.
• Isabella Gilchrist Athya, Register of Interments, Southern Necropolis Cemetery, Glasgow, Scotland, 1902.
• Isabella Gilchrist Athya, Statutory Registers Births 628/302, National Records of Scotland, 1885.
• Isabella Gilchrist Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/3 1402, National Records of Scotland, 1902.
• James Athya, Statutory Registers Births 644/10 75, National Records of Scotland, 1884.
• James Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/10 246, National Records of Scotland, 1884.
• James Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/5 418, National Records of Scotland, 1913.
• James Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/7 538, National Records of Scotland, 1876.
• James Athya, Statutory Registers Marriages 644/12 176, National Records of Scotland, 1877.
• Jane Durie Athya, Statutory Registers Births 644/12 604, National Records of Scotland, 1878.
• Jeanie Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 628/294, National Records of Scotland, 1888.
• Jemima Athya, Census 639/9/11, National Records of Scotland, 1901.
• John Durie Athya, Statutory Registers Births 625/1 530, National Records of Scotland, 1890.
• John Durie Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 625/1 309, National Records of Scotland, 1891.
• Margaret Wylie Athya, Statutory Registers Marriages 644/6 150, National Records of Scotland, 1902.
• Mary D. Athya, Register of Interments, Southern Necropolis Cemetery, Glasgow, Scotland, 1902.
• Mary Durie Athya, Statutory Registers Births 625/3 376, National Records of Scotland, 1897.
• Mary Durie Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/3 1769, National Records of Scotland, 1902.
• Robert Durie Athya, Statutory Registers Births 628/557, National Records of Scotland, 1888.
• Syncope (Fainting), American Heart Association; https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/arrhythmia/symptoms-diagnosis--monitoring-of-arrhythmia/syncope-fainting. 
• Syncope (Fainting), Brigham and Women's Hospital; https://www.brighamandwomens.org/heart-and-vascular-center/diseases-and-conditions/syncope-fainting. 

Mary Watson received Stephen, Patience, and Moses from estate of Park Watson

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

Received March 8th, 1822, of Douglas Watson, administrator of the estate of Park J. Watson, deceased, three negroes (viz.) Stephen, a negro boy valued at $25. Patience, a negro girl valued at $375. Moses, a negro man valued at $400, amounting in all to twelve hundred dollars. $1125 is my equitable part, therefore, I have given my notes for seventy-five dollars to the others of the legatees of the estate of said Watson, deceased.

Mary Watson

Test, John Mercer

Reference

Greene County, Georgia, Probate Estate Case Files 1790–1943, image 114, FamilySearch.  

John Murphy

John Murphy was born on March 20, 1820, in Virginia to William Murphy and Nancy White. He was one of at least six children, including siblings Mary Ann Murphy, Ezekiel G. Murphy, William Murphy Jr., Grafton Murphy, and Michael Murphy. John is my husband’s 2nd great-grandfather, with his daughter, Lucinda, their closest common ancestor. Lucinda is my husband’s great-grandmother.

When I decided to write about John, I uncovered a wealth of information. Every time I explore our Murphy lineage, I look for connections between our two Murphy branches. One branch traces back to Samuel C. Murphy, born in 1825 in Monongalia County, Virginia, while the other follows John and his daughter Lucinda, who married Robert Church. Although I have not identified the exact county in Virginia where John was born, I know he lived in Monongalia County at one point. This places both Samuel and John, who are close in age, in the same area. They might belong to separate Murphy families, but my goal is to determine their connection.

I spent a week searching through county records, but still could not connect these Murphy branches. However, it was not a wasted effort. Two years ago, I blogged about my speculations regarding John’s father, William, and his children. During my search, I found a deed related to the heirs of Grafton White. Although I was not familiar with his name, the deed included many names I recognized. The deed aimed to divide and distribute Grafton White Sr.’s real estate among his heirs and descendants. Some of those heirs were the children of the late Nancy (White) Murphy: John, Mary, Ezekiel, William, Grafton, and Michael. Nancy was Grafton’s daughter and John’s mother. This deed, which specifically named John and his wife Joanna, provided the name of John’s mother, which I did not have before, and it took that line back two generations. 

In October 1836, John’s father, William, owned 170 acres of land in Dunkard Creek in Monongalia, Virginia. A survey book for that county records William and several other Murphy men as head of household, but not John. At 16 years old, John was likely still living with his father.

John married Joanna Ullom, though the exact date is unknown. Joanna’s father was Elijah Ullom, but her mother’s identity is also unknown. They had three confirmed children: Louisa Murphy, Lucinda Murphy, and Mary Ann Murphy. It is possible they also had two additional children, William H. Murphy and Milley J. Murphy, who appear in only one record, which I will discuss below.

On October 10, 1850, John (aged 27) and Joanna (aged 21) lived with John’s father, William (head of household, aged 60) in District 37 of Monongalia County, Virginia. John’s 19-year-old brother, Ezekiel, also resided with them. Additionally, 15-year-old Catherine Pethtel, born in Ohio, lived in the household. While Catherine’s exact relationship to John is unclear, it is possible she is connected to John’s sister, Mary, who married Robert Pethtel. John, his father, and Ezekiel were all farmers. Neither John nor Joanna could read or write, while Catherine was attending school. William’s real estate was valued at $2,000. 

Nancy’s father and John’s grandfather, Grafton White Sr., died by suicide in Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1829. A coroner’s inquest determined that he hanged himself in a barn using a rope, driven by a disturbed state of mind. In September 1853, his 170-acres estate in Monongalia County was divided among his children and their descendants. As the child of Nancy (White) Murphy, who had apparently passed away (date unknown), John inherited a portion of his grandfather’s estate. To increase his share, John purchased the interest of his sister Mary and her husband, Robert Pethtel, for $110, with $10 paid upfront and the remaining amount to be paid later. Unfortunately, the deed did not specify how many acres John and Joanna now owned.

John’s brother, Grafton Murphy, apparently died in Monongalia County about 1856. I was able to find estate records in my search, but not death records for Grafton.

In December 1856, John and Joanna transferred 100 acres of land on the waters of Fish Creek in Wetzel County, Virginia, to John Hostetter for $1,150, with $300 paid upfront and the remainder to be paid annually. In March 1857, Samuel Sharpreck and his wife sold 100 acres of land on Fish Creek to John for $700. 

By July 6, 1860, the Murphy family had relocated to a home in Knob Fork, Wetzel County. John continued his work as a farmer, with real estate valued at $800 and a personal estate worth $150. The 1860 census listed John’s birthplace as Pennsylvania, a change from the 1850 census, which recorded it as Virginia. Neither John nor Joanna could read or write. This census is the only record that mentions the children William H. Murphy and Milley J. Murphy. Typically, a couple’s children are listed directly under them in the census. In this instance, the enumerator recorded them differently, with William and Milley listed after daughters Louisa and Lucinda.

It remains unclear whether William and Milley are John and Joanna’s children. Despite searching for them under various sets of Murphy parents, I have found no records of their existence beyond the 1860 census. My search in death records also yielded no results. If anyone has insights into this family, I would love to hear from you.

Joanna’s father, Elijah (74), and Martha (18, likely Joanna’s sister), along with a 27-year-old domestic named Lucinda Davis, also resided in the home. Lucinda may have connections to the White family, as Nancy (White) Murphy’s brother, Grafton White Jr., had a daughter named Margaret who married Joshua M. Davis. However, I have not confirmed this connection.

The world turned upside down in 1861 with the start of the United States Civil War. I find no evidence that John served during the war. There was a John Murphy who served from Wetzel County; however, records later show his wife was named Rachel, not Joanna. In 1863, western Virginia split to form West Virginia due to their opposition to secession and differing economic interests.

On August 4, 1870, the Murphy family continued living in Knob Fork, recorded as the Center Township of Wetzel County in the newly-formed state of West Virginia. As in 1850, John was listed with Virginia as his birthplace. Joanna was born in Pennsylvania, so it is possible the enumerator mistakenly recorded her birthplace for John’s in the 1850 census. Over the past decade, John’s real estate value had grown significantly, now valued at $2,000, with his personal estate valued at $250. Both John and Joanna had learned to read and write. Three daughters—Louisa, Lucinda, and Mary—were living in the home, with Lucinda and Mary attending school. A 20-year-old male named William Davis also resided with them, working as a farm laborer. William might have been a descendant of Grafton White Jr., the brother of Nancy (White) Murphy.

John’s daughter, Louisa, married Samuel S. Carney at John’s home on Christmas Eve, 1871. Louisa was 18 years old, and Samuel was 23.

In December 1872, John and Joanna sold a tract of land in Wetzel County to Jacob Brookover and Wesley Degarmore for $2,970. The payment included $800 in cash, with the remaining balance due with interest. They agreed that Brookover would pay two-thirds of the purchase price and receive two-thirds of the land, while Degarmore would pay one-third and receive one-third of the land. John also sold 40 acres in Wetzel County to G. W. Fox for $400.

In March 1876, five years after their daughter Louisa married Samuel Carney, John and Joanna sold 35 acres of land on Long Drain in Fish Creek, Wetzel County, to Samuel for $500. This land was considered a dowry and was described in the deed as Louisa’s share of John’s estate.

Once again, family gathered at John’s home to celebrate the marriage of his daughter, Lucinda, to Robert Church on April 2, 1876. Lucinda was 18 years old and Robert was 23.

By 1878, John owned 246 acres of land in Long Drain. The property, located 25 miles northeast of the Wetzel County courthouse, was valued at $6 per acre, amounting to a total value of $1,476. 

On June 4, 1880, John, Joanna, and their daughter Mary were residing in the Church District of Wetzel County. John continued his work as a farmer while Joanna managed the household. Mary, who was now 17 years old, was not attending school.

In February 1883, John’s maternal uncle, Michael White, passed away. In his will, Michael left a portion of his estate to the “Freedman’s Aid Society,” but for reasons unknown, the court declared this part of the will invalid. Consequently, this portion of the estate was distributed according to intestate succession laws. The court appointed someone to identify the rightful heirs and determine their shares of the estate. The heirs were identified as Michael’s siblings: William White, Grafton White Jr., Nancy Murphy, Hannah Butters, and Rebecca Gidley. Since all of them were deceased, their children, Michael’s nieces and nephews, inherited their shares. Nancy Murphy’s children, including John, who was living in Burton, Wetzel County at the time, were listed in the report and received one-fifth of that portion of the estate. John’s share amounted to 1/25th of the estate.

Following the tradition of her sisters, John’s youngest daughter, Mary, chose her father’s home for her wedding. On December 10, 1883, she married George Washington Sole. Mary was 22 years old, and George was 23.

In November 1885, John and Joanna purchased a 47-acre tract of land situated on the waters of Long Drain, within the Clay District of Wetzel County. They purchased this land from Mary and Jeremiah Stottlemire for a total of $175, with an initial payment of $75 upfront. The remaining balance of $100 was to be paid in two equal annual installments over the next two years, with interest accruing from November 11, 1885. The land was adjacent to the properties of Henry Sole and others.

In October 1887, likely due to eminent domain, the Wetzel County Court ordered the opening and maintenance of a new road starting southwest of John’s house on Long Drain in the Church District, passing through his and Samuel Carney’s lands for public use. The court ordered them to appear and show cause why the road should not be opened for public travel.

In 1888, likely anticipating the end of his life and wanting to ensure his affairs were in order, John began transferring property to his three daughters: Louisa, Lucinda, and Mary.

In January 1888, John and Joanna transferred 54 ¼ acres of land on Long Drain in the Church District, excluding one acre where their house stood, to their daughter Louisa Carney and her children; and 22 acres to their daughter Mary Ann Sole and her children. Each tract was valued at $1,000. In return, Louisa and her husband Samuel, as well as Mary and her husband George, agreed to provide John and Joanna with a comfortable living, including food, clothing, medical care, and funeral expenses, for the rest of their lives. John was also allowed to keep one horse and one cow on the land. 

In 1889, a tax assessment for the Church District of Wetzel County detailed John’s ownership of three parcels of land in Long Drain. The first parcel was six acres, located 25 miles east of the Wetzel County courthouse, valued at $8 per acre, with buildings worth $48. The second parcel comprised 47 acres, situated 30 miles east of the courthouse, valued at $4 per acre, with buildings worth $197. The third parcel included 2.75 acres, located 25 miles east of the courthouse, valued at $8 per acre, with buildings worth $22.

The taxes owed on these properties were calculated for various purposes: state, free school, county levy, district levy for roads, teaching, and building. The assessment provided a detailed account of the taxes owed for each parcel, offering a comprehensive record of John’s land holdings and the associated tax liabilities. 

In February 1890, John and Joanna sold a 47-acre tract of land on the waters of Long Drain in the Clay District of Wetzel County to their daughter Lucinda and her husband Robert Church for $200. This was the same land they had purchased from Mary and Jeremiah Stottlemire in November 1885.

Robert and Lucinda (Murphy) Church

In March 1891, John and Joanna leased 18 acres of land in the Church District of Wetzel County to the South Penn Oil Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for $1. The five-year lease permitted South Penn Oil to operate for oil and gas extraction, lay pipelines, and build necessary structures. Specifically, the company agreed to deliver one-eighth of all oil produced to John and Joanna at no cost and to pay $200 annually for each gas well drilled on the premises if the gas was marketed and used off the property. The company also committed to minimizing interference with the cultivated portions of the farm, burying gas lines two feet below the surface, and compensating John and Joanna for any crop damage. The company pledged to complete one well within 10 months or pay an annual rental of $18 until completion, retaining the right to surrender the lease at any time, thereby ceasing all payments and obligations under the lease terms.

In April 1891, John and Joanna sold 9 ¼ acres of land on the waters of Long Drain, a branch of Fish Creek, in the Church District of Wetzel County, to George W. Sole (Mary’s husband) for $115. This land bordered property already owned by Mary. Interestingly, the deed noted that one white oak tree on the land was reserved and not part of the sale.

In February 1893, John’s daughter Lucinda and her husband Robert Church sold their 47-acre tract of land in the Clay District of West Virginia to S. A. Carney. They had purchased this land from John and Joanna for $200 in February 1890 and sold it for $1,060, making a substantial profit of $860.

On March 24, 1893, John and Joanna sold a one-acre tract of land to Lucinda and her family for $1. This land, located on the waters of Long Drain in the Church District of Wetzel County, included the house where John and Joanna lived. It bordered the property of Louisa and Samuel next door and was originally part of the larger piece of land sold to Louisa in January 1888.

Two weeks later, on April 8, John passed away in Wetzel County at the age of 73, likely in his home. His family laid him to rest at Shriver Cemetery in Wetzel County.

 

John and Joanna's stone at Shriver Cemetery

Entrance to Shriver Cemetery

In April 1894, Lucinda and Robert Church sold the one-acre tract of land they had purchased from John and Joanna in March 1893 to Samuel Carney for $150. The deed specifically described the land as starting at a stone in the county road and running south, passing between the house occupied by Samuel and the house John lived in before his death, ending at a stake in the field. This tract of land was originally part of the 54 ¼ acres that John and Joanna sold to Louisa and Samuel in 1888.

Note: During my research, I found many deed and land records for John Murphy. I made every effort to distinguish between several men with the same name to determine whether he was the actual subject of this sketch. This was often easier when his wife, Joanna, was listed. I also tried to use his location (i.e., Fish Creek) as a deciding factor. However, I feel certain this does not include all records for John.

References

• Grafton White, Monongalia County, Virginia, Guardianship Records 1822–1830, Land Records 1822–1830, Military Records 1822–1830, Probate Records 1822–1830, Public Records 1822–1830, School Records 1822–1830, Tax Records 1822–1830, Government Records 1822–1830, Court Records 1822–1830, Citizenship Records 1822–1830, images 216–217, FamilySearch.
• John Murphy, Monongalia County, Court Records 1873–1888, images 441–443, FamilySearch.
• John Murphy, Monongalia County, Virginia, Deed Books 1850–1854, images 309–310, 343, FamilySearch.
• Personal visit to Shriver Cemetery, Wetzel County, West Virginia, 2010.
• U.S. Federal Census, Church District, Wetzel County, West Virginia, 1880.
• U.S. Federal Census, District 37, Monongalia County, Virginia, 1850.
• U.S. Federal Census, Knob Fork, Center District, Wetzel County, West Virginia, 1870.
• U.S. Federal Census, Knob Fork, Wetzel County, Virginia, 1860.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Court Records 1886–1892, images 158–160, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1855–1865, images 150, 168, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1872–1877, images 439, 442, and 635, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1885–1887, image 124, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1888–1889, images 61–63, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1890–1891, image 331, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1891, images 346–347, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1893–1895, images 203, 248–249, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Land Records 1872–1878, image 503, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Land Records 1885–1890, image 446, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Marriage Records 1854–1886, image 245, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Marriage Records 1882–1888, image 65, FamilySearch.
• William Murphy, General Index to Surveyors Books, 1781–1859, Monongalia, Virginia: Monongalia. Land Records 1781–1859, image 61, FamilySearch. 

John Grigsby gifts Tripley and her six children to John Berland

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

To all people whom these presents may concern, I, John Grigsby, of the state of Georgia and county of Greene, send greetings. Know ye that I, the said John Grigsby, for and in consideration of the natural love and affection which I have and bear unto John Berland of the county and state aforesaid and also for other good causes and considerations unto me thereunto moving have given and granted and by these presents do give, grant, and confirm unto the said John Berland one negro woman named Tripley and her six children viz Chishin, Jeffrey, John, Solomon, George, and Lydia, to have and to hold all and singular the above said negro woman and her six children as above named unto the said John Berland, his executors, administrators, and assigns to his and their own proper use and uses forever and the said John Grigsby all and singular the aforesaid negroes unto the said John Berland his executors, administrators, and assigns do and will forever warrant and defend the same against the claim or title of any person or persons whatever according to the true intent and meaning these presents. 

In witness whereof the said John Grigsby hath hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this sixth day of December, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven 1797.

John Grigsby (seal)

Signed, sealed, and delivered in presence of 
David Shortt
John Berland

Signed and sealed before me 
Samuel Bellah, JP

Registered this 23d of December 1797
J. Park, Clerk

 

Reference

Greene County, Georgia, Land Records 1792–1802, Enslavement Records 1792–1802, image 367, FamilySearch.