Mollie Mae Burnette

Mollie Mae Burnette, daughter of Samuel Pride Burnette and Millicent Virginia “Jinnie” Overton, was born on April 26, 1889, in Loganville, Walton County, Georgia. She was the youngest of 14 children born to Samuel and Jinnie: John William “Will,” Thomas “Tom” Terrell, C. B. Annbelle, Abijah Winkfield, Oscar Lee, Mathew E., Laura Jane, Frances Elizabeth “Lizzie,” Mattie “Lou,” Benjamin Franklin, Virginia “Jennie” Olivia, Joseph Benjamin, Mollie Mae, and one child who died young whose identity has not been determined. Mollie is my second great-aunt. Her parents are my second great-grandparents.

Mollie, her husband Will, and likely two grand or great grandchildren

The second “e” in the surname Burnette comes and goes in this family line. For this biography, I have chosen to use Burnette, although records for Mollie and her relatives appear under both Burnett and Burnette.

On June 6, 1900, Mollie and her family lived on a rented farm in the Buncombe District of Walton County. Her father was a farmer, assisted by sons Benjamin and Joseph. Mollie’s mother was enumerated as having given birth to 14 children, 12 of whom were still living. The deceased children would have been Annbelle and the unidentified child. Both of Mollie’s parents and her sister Frances were able to read and write. Her brother Benjamin was able to read but not write. Mollie’s uncle, Abijah Winkfield Burnette, his wife Eugenia, and their daughter Robena lived next door.

Mollie married William Allen, son of Ambus Allen and Mary Knight, in Walton County on August 13, 1908. Together they had four children: Ernest W., Millie Frances, William Wardell, and Junie Herman Allen. One mystery I encountered while researching this family involves their son William Wardell Allen. In earlier census records, he appears as William, but in later records William disappears and a son named John appears in the same place within the household. I believe William Wardell Allen may have gone by the name John as he grew older, although I have not found a record proving they were the same person.

Marriage license (1908)

On May 5, 1910, Mollie, Will, and 10-month-old Ernest were living on a rented farm in the Buncombe District of Walton County. Mollie assisted Will with farm work. Both Mollie and Will were able to read and write. They had been married for one year.

Mollie’s mother, Jinnie, died in Georgia on January 10, 1916. She was buried at Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Loganville. Her brother Will died suddenly at the age of 48 on November 28, 1916, after returning from the fields in Liberty Grove, Lawrence County, Tennessee. It was reported that he suffered from stomach sickness, although the cause may have been a heart attack. He was buried at St. Truitt Cemetery in Lawrence County the following day. Mollie’s sister Laura died in Conyers, Rockdale County, Georgia, in 1918.

Mollie was living in Loganville when her son William was born on May 24, 1919.

By January 31, 1920, the Allen family was still living in the Buncombe District and had grown by two children, daughter Millie and son William. Will continued to farm while Mollie cared for the household. Ernest, now 10 years old and attending school, was able to read and write.

Mollie’s father Samuel died on August 27, 1926, at his home in Monroe from endocarditis, a serious condition affecting the lining and valves of the heart. He was buried beside Jinnie at Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Loganville on September 3, 1926.

By April 2, 1930, Mollie and her family had moved to Walnut Grove in Walton County, where they lived on a rented farm located on the Covington and Walnut Grove Road. Mollie and Will had been married for 19 years. Will continued farming with assistance from their son Ernest.

On July 19, 1936, Mollie’s son Ernest, who lived in Snapping Shoals, Newton County, Georgia, was shot in the abdomen during a dispute with his father-in-law, O. D. Harcrow. According to newspaper accounts, the argument began at a store in Snapping Shoals and continued at Harcrow’s home, where the shooting occurred. Ernest was transported to Grady Hospital in Atlanta by family members but died of his injuries the following morning. His death certificate records the immediate cause of death as hemorrhage with surgical shock resulting from a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Harcrow surrendered to authorities shortly after the incident, and newspapers reported that the case was expected to be investigated by the Newton County grand jury. Ernest was buried at Corinth Christian Church Cemetery in Loganville on July 22, 1936.

Mollie’s brother Oscar died in Loganville in October 1938 from heart lesions and was buried at Bay Creek Baptist Church Cemetery. Her brother Thomas died in Greensboro, Greene County, Georgia, in February 1940 from chronic myocarditis, a long-lasting inflammation of the heart muscle. He was buried at Walker United Methodist Church Cemetery in Greensboro.

On April 27, 1940, Mollie and her family were living on Conyers Road in the Broken Arrow District of Walton County. The household included Mollie, her husband Will, daughter Frances, and sons John and Junie. I believe the son recorded as John may have been William Wardell Allen, who appeared as William in earlier records, although I have not found evidence proving they were the same person.

The entire household participated in farm work. During the week preceding the 1940 census, Will worked 50 hours, Mollie 16 hours, Frances 20 hours, and John 40 hours. Junie, age 15, was also recorded as a farm laborer, although no hours were listed for him. For 1939, the census reported earnings of $150 for Will, $30 for Mollie, $58 for Frances, $90 for John, and $60 for Junie.

When William submitted his World War II draft registration card on October 16, 1940, he listed his mother as the person who would always know his address. William was still living at home at the time, and the address given was R.F.D. 3, Covington, Newton County, Georgia.

Mollie’s sister Virginia died on December 23, 1943, and was buried at Corinth Memorial Gardens. Her sister Mattie died on January 13, 1948, and was buried with their parents at Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery. Both cemeteries are located in Walton County.

Sisters Mattie and Jenny (front); Lizzie and Mollie (back)

By April 1, 1950, Mollie, Will, and Junie had returned to the Buncombe District. At age 60, Will still farmed on a part-time basis, working 20 hours during the week before the census was taken. Junie carried most of the workload and had worked 50 hours as a farm helper. Mollie was no longer recorded as assisting with farm labor. Her son William lived three farms away.

Mollie’s brother Abijah died in Atlanta on September 16, 1954, and was buried at Mt. Vernon Christian Church Cemetery in Monroe. Her sister Lizzie died suddenly from a heart attack in Walton County on February 24, 1959, and was buried at Bay Creek Baptist Church Cemetery in Loganville. Her brother Joseph died on May 6, 1960, and was buried at Bay Creek Baptist Church Cemetery. Her brother Benjamin died in Newton County on October 22, 1965, and was buried at Corinth Memorial Gardens in Monroe.

Mollie died at Newton County Hospital in Covington, Newton County, Georgia, on September 27, 1974. Funeral services were held at Corinth Christian Church on September 29, with Rev. Robert Murrell officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery. At age 85, Mollie had spent nearly all of her life in Walton County. She was a member of Gum Creek Baptist Church.

Mollie was survived by her husband Will; daughter Frances; sons John and Junie; 11 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and 1 great-great-grandchild.

References

• Abijah W. Burnette, Joseph B. Burnette, and Benjamin F. Burnett, Georgia Deaths, 1919–98.
• Burnette family information shared by Austin Landis Burnett.
• Family Row Blamed for Fatal Shooting at Snapping Shoals, The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Georgia, p. 1, July 20, 1936. 
• Funeral Notices, Mr. Abija W. Burnette, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, September 17, 1954.
• Funeral Notices, Mr. Joseph B. (Joe) Burnette, The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Georgia, May 8, 1960.
• Funeral Notices, Mrs. Frances A. Burnett, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, May 23, 1975.
• Mollie Burnett Allen, U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936–2007.
• Mollie Burnett, Georgia, Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• Mollie M. Allen, Georgia Deaths, 1919–98.
• Mr. Ernest Allen, Certificate of Death no. 19701 3607, Georgia Department of Public Health, Burean of Vital Statistics, 1936.
• Obituaries, Mrs. Will Allen, Walton Tribune, Monroe, Georgia, p. 13, October 1, 1974.
• Obituaries, Will P. Allen, Walton Tribune, Monroe, Georgia, p. 2, June 28, 1977.
• Oscar L. Burnette, Certificate of Death no. 29672, Georgia Department of Public Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, 1938.
• Personal visit to Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, Corinth Memorial Gardens, and Bay Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Walton County, Georgia.
• Personal visit to Walker United Methodist Church Cemetery, Greensboro, Greene County, Georgia.
• Sympathy, Mrs. Lizzie Guthrie, Walton Tribune, Monroe, Georgia, March 4, 1959.
• Thomas Terrel Burnette, Certificate of Death no. 4275, Georgia Department of Public Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, 1940.
• U.S. Federal Census, Broken Arrow, Walton County, Georgia, 1940.
• U.S. Federal Census, Buncombe, Walton County, Georgia, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1950.
• U.S. Federal Census, Walnut Grove, Walton County, Georgia, 1930.
• Victim of Gunshot in Critical State, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, p. 7, July 20, 1936.
• William Wordele Allen, U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947.

Theft of Rachel, property of Elijah Ballard

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

Georgia, Greene County

The Grand Jurors sworn, chosen, and selected for the County of Greene to wit Thomas Stocks, John Slaughter, John Mercer, Ambrose Hutcheson, Francis West, Thomas Moseley, George Heard, Gilly Moore, Jesse Perkins, James K. Daniel, John Powers, Alexander King, Joseph McBride, John Love, John Mapp, Thomas Crawford, James Culberson, Joseph Riley, Thomas Dawson, Isaac Mitchell, John J. Beatie, Rene Fitzpatrick and John Park, in the name and behalf of the citizens of Georgia, charge and accuse McQuinney Iles and John Barnhard, both of the County aforesaid, with the offence of Larceny of a Slave, for that the said McQuinney Iles and John Barnhard on the twenty-seventh day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-two, at the plantation of Elijah Ballard in the county aforesaid, with force and arms, a certain negro woman slave named Rachel, the property of the said Elijah Ballard, of the value of four hundred dollars, then and there being found, did feloniously steal, take and carry away, to the great damage of him the said Elijah Ballard, contrary to the laws of said State the good order, peace and dignity thereof.

Adam G. Saffold, Sol. Genl.
Elijah Ballard, prosecutor
March Term 1822

The State vs. McQuinney Iles and John Barnhard
Witnesses: Elijah Ballard, Danl. McIver, John Brown, John Clapp, Dan Macon
Larceny of a Slave
True Bill
Thomas Stocks, Foreman

Copy and list of Witnesses waived as to McQuinney Iles and Copy and list of Witnesses furnished John Barnard.

The defendants arraigned and plead not guilty.
March Term 1822
Adam G. Saffold, Sol. Genl.

Reference

Greene County, Court Minutes 1812–1827, image 391, FamilySearch.

Dena Willingham

Dena Willingham, daughter of Elijah Willingham and Nancy Kay, was born in South Carolina—likely in Anderson County—on November 16, 1873. She was the fourth of nine children: Lewis “Preston,” Francis Jeanette “Nettie,” Andrew Jackson, Dena, William Franklin “Frank,” Charles W. “Charlie,” Bertha “Bertie” Virginia, Nora E., and Elijah “Eugene” Tillman Willingham. Dena married into my Holland line as the wife of my 1st cousin 3x removed, Anda Holland; she and I share no common ancestor.

Her father, Elijah Willingham, was a Civil War veteran who served at age 16 during the final six months of the conflict. Her youngest brother’s given name was Elijah, though he later went by Eugene.

On June 9, 1880, the Willingham family lived in the Broadway Township of Anderson County. Dena’s name was recorded as “Denah” in the census. Her father farmed the land with help from her brother Lewis, while her mother Nancy kept the household. Lewis was noted as “sick.”

Dena married Anda “Andy” Holland, son of Elijah Major Holland and Jemima Kay, about 1897, likely in Anderson County. They had five children: Ina Mae, James “Jamie” Andrew, Justus A. “Pete,” Joseph “Joe” Erwin, and Bertha “Bertie” Holland.

By June 9, 1900, Dena, Andy, and their daughter Ina were living on a rented farm in Broadway Township. The census notes that they had been married three years and had one child. Andy worked as a farmer, and both he and Dena were able to read and write. Dena’s parents lived next door with four of her siblings, and her brother Preston lived beside them with his own family.

Dena and Andy spent a short period in Greenville, South Carolina, where their son Joseph was born in 1907. The Greenville City Directory lists them as Andrew and Dena Holland. Andy worked as a clerk for Busbee & Wood, a livery stable that boarded, rented, and serviced horses and horse‑drawn vehicles. They rented a home at 515 St. John Street.

Dena’s sister Nettie died at age 40 on March 8, 1908, in Anderson County. Nettie’s infant son Frances, born March 5, 1908, died on June 8, 1908. Both were buried at Pelzer Community Cemetery, likely victims of the same illness.

By April 23, 1910, Dena and Andy had returned to Anderson County and were renting a farm in Williamston. Andy was again working as a farmer. In July 1910, Dena purchased five shams, one set of silver knives, one mattress, four quilts, and five counterpanes from the estate of Jacob Alewine—household goods typical of estate sales in that era.

On September 10, 1913, Dena died in Williamston at the age of 39, just three months after the birth of her youngest child, Bertie. Her oldest child, Ina, was 15. Dena was buried in Williamston Cemetery after a service conducted by Rev. Thayer. The community mourned her as a devoted wife, loving mother, and noble woman whose kindness touched many lives.

Andy married his second wife, Victoria Martin, on August 30, 1914, in Pelzer, Anderson County. In 1920, Andy, Victoria, and the children—James (19), Justus (16), Joe (13), and Bertie (6)—were living together in Williamston. On October 6, 1921, just eight years after Dena’s death, Andy died in Williamston, leaving their five children orphaned. Ina, married in 1916, was living in Williamston with her husband Joe Ellison, their children Albert and Dena Mae, and her widowed mother‑in‑law Georgia Ann Ellison in 1920. After Andy’s death, it is unclear whether the younger children remained with Victoria or moved in with Ina. By 1930, none of the Holland children lived with Victoria; Bertie was living with Ina and her family in Williamston.

References

• “Pete” Holland, The Greenville News, Greenville, South Carolina, October 27, 1986.
• Anderson County, South Carolina, Probate Estate Case Files 1909–1911, images 747–751, FamilySearch.
• Confederate Veteran Answers Final Call, The Greenville News, Greenville, South Carolina, December 14, 1924.
• Dena Holland, Greenville, South Carolina, City Directory, 1907.
• E. T. Willingham, The Greenville News, Greenville, South Carolina, August 21, 1964.
• Eligah Willingham, Certificate of Death no. 21614, State of South Carolina, Bureau of Vital Statistics, State Board of Health.
• Elijah Willingham, Veteran Dies at Belton, The Greenville News, Greenville, South Carolina, February 1, 1960.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/115407791/frances_jeanette-snipes: accessed 21 Sep 2026), memorial page for Frances Jeanette “Nettie” Willingham Snipes (1 Mar 1868–8 Mar 1908), Find a Grave Memorial ID 115407791, citing Pelzer Community Cemetery, Pelzer, Anderson County, South Carolina, USA; maintained by Gerald (contributor 46623097).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/115407733/frances-snipes: accessed 21 Sep 2026), memorial page for Frances Snipes (5 Mar 1908–8 Jun 1908), Find a Grave Memorial ID 115407733, citing Pelzer Community Cemetery, Pelzer, Anderson County, South Carolina, USA; maintained by Gerald (contributor 46623097).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/93629697/charles_w-willingham: accessed 22 Sep 2026), memorial page for Charles W. Willingham (13 Nov 1879–13 Dec 1915), Find a Grave Memorial ID 93629697, citing Belton Cemetery, Belton, Anderson County, South Carolina, USA; maintained by John Burgess (contributor 47495171).
• Ina Mae Kay, Certificate of Death no. 73 011872, State of South Carolina, Board of Health, 1973.
• Joseph Erwin Holland, U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947.
• Mrs. A. J. Willingham Reported Dead in Pickens, The State, Columbia, South Carolina, August 26, 1925.
• Pelzer News, The Greenville News, Greenville, South Carolina, September 21, 1913.
• Personal visit to Williamston Cemetery.
• U.S. Federal Census, Broadway, Anderson County, South Carolina, 1870, 1880, 1900.
• U.S. Federal Census, Limestone, Cherokee County, South Carolina, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, Williamston, Anderson County, South Carolina, 1910, 1920, 1930.
• W. F. Willingham, The State, Columbia, South Carolina, December 14, 1924. 

Dolly conveyed in Seaborn Owens Deed of Trust

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

March Term 1860. Georgia, Greene County. 

To the Hon. Iverson L. Harris, Judge of the Superior Courts for the Ocmulgee Circuit.

The petition of Seaborn I. Owens respectfully shows unto your Honor that heretofore to wit, on the 25th day of February in the year 1856, he executed a Deed of Trust to himself as Trustee for his wife Mary Owens and his children Martha J., Emily A., and Mary E. and any children that he might thereafter have born unto him by his Wife, conveying a certain negro girl slave Dolly, about eleven years of age. The original of which said Deed of Trust is herewith annexed.

And your petitioner further shows unto your Honor, that at the time of the execution of said Deed of Trust, he was and is at this time free from debt. And your petitioner further shows that it will be greatly for the interest of his said wife and children to change said Trust property having been offered a large sum of money for said negro girl, the interest upon which said sum would double the present hire of said negro girl and in view of the uncertainty of life, he is unwilling to risk the whole estate of his said wife and children in the life of said negro.

Therefore, your petitioner prays your Honor to grant an order allowing him to sell said negro girl and invest the proceeds of said sale for the uses and purposes set forth in said Deed of Trust and as in duty bound will ever pray, etc.

Geo. O. Dawson, Petitioners Atty.

Upon hearing the foregoing petition of Seaborn I. Owens, Trustee etc. to change trust property. It is ordered by the Court that said Trustee be empowered to sell said negro slave Dolly and invest the proceeds of said sale in stocks or such other securities and notes as are of marketable par value, in the name of said Seaborn I. Owens, Trustee as aforesaid and in accordance with the provisions of said deed of Trust, thereby preserving the identity of said Trust property.

Reference

Greene County, Georgia, Court Minutes 1856–1868, image 228, FamilySearch.

Margaret “Maggie” Athya

Margaret “Maggie” Athya was born April 19, 1861, in Hutchesontown, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, the daughter of James Athya and Jane Wylie. She was the fourth of eight children: James Wylie Athya, Isaac Athya, David Athya (who died at 17 months), Margaret Athya, John D. Athya, Hugh Wylie Athya, David Athya (named for his deceased brother), and Jeanie Athya (spelled Aithey on the birth register). Maggie is my husband’s second great‑aunt, their nearest common relatives being her parents.

When Maggie was born at home at 117 Hospital Street, her father worked as a clerk in a cotton factory. The 1861 census shows him as a power‑loom factory clerk, and the home had three rooms with one or more windows. Maggie was born after that census was taken, so she was not recorded.

Birth register (1861)

By 1871, the Athya family still lived at the Hospital Street address. Her father continued in the cotton trade, now as a weaver. Her brother Isaac was not listed with the family that year. All four children recorded—Jane, Maggie, John, and Hugh—were attending school.

Scotland census (1871)

In 1881, Maggie worked as a general servant in the home of Mary Allan, a 34‑year‑old widow and confectioner. The household, with two rooms having one or more windows, was located in the Barony Civil Parish of Milton, Glasgow, a heavily industrial area where domestic service was common.

Scotland census (1881)

Maggie’s mother, Jane Wylie Athya (age 51), died April 2, 1882, in Gorbals, Lanark, Scotland, of chronic bronchitis. She was buried in Lair 860, owned by Maggie’s grandfather Isaac Athya, at Southern Necropolis Cemetery in Glasgow.

Maggie married William Stewart, a widower, on November 7, 1884, in the District of Plantation, Lanark, Scotland, after publications according to the forms of the Wesleyan Methodist Church—a denomination less common in Glasgow at the time. Maggie, a spinster, was employed as a furnishing shopkeeper. William was a coach‑builder (journeyman). Both lived on Eaglesham Street in Govan—Maggie at No. 124 and William at No. 80. William’s parents were Francis Stewart and Elizabeth McKendry, both deceased.

Marriage register (1884)

Maggie died April 10, 1885, from complications of childbirth. She had a congenital physical condition that made labor impossible, and after two days of struggling to deliver, she developed fluid in her lungs (pulmonary edema) and passed away. The cemetery register recorded her cause of death simply as “child bed.” Maggie died at 124 Eaglesham Street, the same address listed on her marriage certificate. She was only 23 years old and had been married less than a year. No birth, death, or burial record could be found for a child.

Death register (1885)

Like her mother, Maggie was buried at Southern Necropolis Cemetery in Glasgow, in Lair 860.

Southern Necropolis Cemetery burial register (1885)

Nothing more is known of William after Maggie’s death.

References

• James Athya, Census 644/10 55/19, National Records of Scotland, 1861.
• Jane Athya, Census 644/10 71/20, National Records of Scotland, 1871.
• Jane Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/122 239, National Records of Scotland, 1882.
• Maggie Athya, Statutory Registers Marriages 646/1 83, National Records of Scotland, 1884.
• Margaret Athya, Statutory Registers Births 644/10 723, National Records of Scotland, 1861.
• Margaret Athya, Statutory Registers Death 646/1 140, National Records of Scotland, 1885.
• Margaret Athye, Census 644/8 76/11, National Records of Scotland, 1881.
• Margaret Stewart, Southern Necropolis: Glasgow, Burial Registers 1881–1888, image 250, FamilySearch. 

Anthony, property of Alexander Walker

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

The State vs. Francis M. Boon
Misdemeanor

Presentment, Georgia, Greene County

The Grand Jurors sworn, chosen and selected for the County of Greene, to wit, the undersigned, by presentment in the name and behalf of the citizens of Georgia, charge and accuse Francis M. Boon of the County and State aforesaid with the offense of misdemeanor, for that the said Francis M. Boon, with force and arms in the County aforesaid, on the first day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-five, and on divers days and times between said first day of March and the eighth day of the same month, unlawfully did sell to and furnish a certain negro man slave by the name of Anthony, the property of Alexander Walker, then and there being with spirituous liquors, wine, cider and other intoxicating liquors for his own use and for the purpose of sale. The said Francis M. Boon, not then and there being the owner, overseer or employer of said slave, contrary to the laws of said State, the good order, peace and dignity thereof.

March Term 1845
Abraham Janes, Foreman

13th March 1845

John G. Holtzclaw, Wm. Daniel Pearson, B. Monk, Wm. F. Welborn, Thomas N. Poullain, Thomas Crawford, John Armstrong, James W. Godkin, Reuben J. Dawson, James M. Porter, Dickerson Jones, James B. Nickelson, Benj. Brantley, Mathew Wingfield, Saml. Wright, Wm. Edmondson, John R. Jeter, Jas. W. Jackson

Witnesses
David A. Newsom
Richd. A. Newsom

Reference

Greene County, Georgia, Court Minutes 1844–1855, image 77, FamilySearch.

Nestled in Nutter Fort

The photographs I’m sharing today come from the Ralph Murphy photo archive, a remarkable collection my husband received from his Aunt Jean in 2012. The archive contains 21 boxes of slides—thousands of images Ralph captured between 1947 and 1984—scenes from cross‑country travels, family gatherings, and everyday moments with friends and coworkers. I digitized the collection in 2015, and these images continue to bring me joy.

Among the most personal of these photographs are those of a single‑family home at 501 West Virginia Avenue in Nutter Fort, West Virginia. Married in March 1942, Ralph and Jean purchased the house in 1950, the year it was built, becoming its first owners. They lived there until the mid‑1970s, proud of the home they had made together. What follows is a sketch based on these photos and family memories of a house shared by a beloved uncle and aunt.

One of the earliest photos we have of the home

The 1950 federal census shows Ralph and Jean living in the home by April 13. Ralph was working as a projectionist at a drive‑in theatre, which we know was the Skyline Drive‑In in Clarksburg. He photographed the drive‑in as it was being built, and those images remain some of the most remarkable in his archive. The census also lists Jean as a bookkeeper for a retail furniture store, which in her case was Palace Furniture Company, also located in Clarksburg. Ralph documented the store’s 50th‑anniversary celebration in 1949, capturing the festivities in another wonderful series of photographs. Jean worked at Palace Furniture for 45 years. The furniture for their home was almost certainly purchased through the store. Across the photos, pieces come and go, showing how often they updated their furnishings. With Jean’s access to current styles—and the likelihood of an employee discount—they were able to keep the house looking “in style.” And as my husband once said, if Uncle Ralph didn’t like something, he got rid of it. Ralph and Jean lived in the Nutter Fort house until at least 1974. Sometime after that, they moved to a house in Bridgeport for a short time before settling into their forever home by 1977.

Ralph and Jean recorded in the 1950 federal census

Ralph’s photo archives show that he often documented projects from their earliest stages. The photo below captures the back side of the house and its surroundings while it was still under construction in 1949.

The front of the house was faced in stone on the main level, with white wood siding on the triangular gable above. Two windows flanked the white front door, which had 12 small glass panes, and a small arched portico with brackets sheltered the entrance. The trim around the windows, door, and gutters was painted white, and the house number was mounted on the front of the gable. A short concrete landing led to a straight sidewalk that ran to the street, with a narrow connecting strip to the driveway so visitors didn’t have to cross the grass. The basement portion of the house was made of concrete blocks. Beyond the yard, the hills of Harrison County rose faintly in the distance.

Jean’s extended family lived one street over on Maryland Avenue. The photo below was taken from the balcony of their house, overlooking the Nutter Fort home.

Photo taken from the Maryland Avenue home of Jean's family

By the time the next photo was taken, the window trim was painted green and the sidewalk relocated. In this view of the house, the straight sidewalk that once led from the front door to the street had been removed. The ground where it stood remained unsettled, with patches of bare earth and loose stones showing that the work was not yet complete. The new curved walk toward the driveway had been poured, but the surrounding area awaited fresh soil and grass to finish the yard.

The photo below may have been taken soon after the sidewalk was completed, as straw is visible on the grass where the work was done. Perhaps that’s what Jean (holding their dog Boogie) and her sister‑in‑law are celebrating. The newly painted green windows are in plain view. The side window shutters were painted green to match the window frames.

By about 1964, Ralph added awnings to the windows during the winter months. The window frames and shutters were now painted white. He had also added black iron railing to the front entrance.

In November 1970, Ralph re‑sided the back and sides of the house. Photos show him performing the work himself using wood and ladders for scaffolding.

Washington Street side of the house

Washington Street side of the house

Back side of the house

Ralph quickly finished the re‑siding project and had the awnings back up in time for winter. The side porch had been extended, concrete steps installed, and decorative blocks added to the lower portion of the porch to finish the design.

By May 1974, Ralph replaced the brownish‑colored awnings with smaller white ones and painted the front door railings white. He had also added white railings to the side porch. The tree at the bottom of the steps had been replaced with a new young dogwood.

New white awnings (May 1974)

May 1974

November 1974

 The Main Level

The main level held the essential rooms of daily life, including a living room, a small combined kitchen/dining room, a bedroom, a spare/catch‑all room, and a bathroom. If you are standing in front of the house, the living room occupied the right‑front corner, to the right of the centered front door. Early photos show the living room was neat and comfortable, decorated with a green and white striped sofa, a floral chair, a wood sideboard, radio console, telephone table, lamps, plants, knickknacks, and family photos. The walls were painted a neutral color, later green; the molding was stained wood; floral draperies framed the windows; and it was all set on polished hardwood floors with scatter rugs.

 

 

By the mid‑1950s, the living room had been redecorated in a modern style. The floral and striped fabrics were replaced with a textured tan sectional sofa and an orange chair, set on a dark carpet. Light‑wood tables with curved legs and glass tops replaced the earlier heavier furniture. A light‑colored cabinet (which may have contained a radio) sat in the corner with a decorative lamp and candles on top. The room featured bold geometric curtains in orange, gold, and brown tones, paired with light green walls and a dark carpet. A box‑style television sat on a low stand beside a wood cabinet topped with a lamp and candles.

By the early 1960s, the living room once again saw changes. The sofa and orange chair remained the same. Light‑wood tables with curved legs and glass tops were now featured. The curtains now displayed a floral pattern with large bold flowers in shades of brown and gold, set against a white background. A radio, flower vase, ceramic figurines, a framed photo, and a white lamp with flowers added simple decorative touches. The room was rearranged at some point, moving the sitting area away from the windows.

 

 

Jean and Ralph (ca. 1960–1961)

Ca. 1963

As you walked into the living room, a doorway on your left led you to a combined kitchen/dining room which sat along the left‑front corner of the house, facing West Virginia Avenue. The refrigerator was positioned on your left as you walked into the room, and a china hutch sat on your right, against the back of the living room wall. A small dining room table sat directly in front of the hutch, usually pushed against the wall. The dining room furniture was made of maple or a similar light hardwood. The side porch entrance opened directly into the kitchen, with a small landing and steps leading up to the door. The kitchen cabinets were painted a light gold or yellow and had black countertops; the sink stood beneath the front window, beside the refrigerator, facing West Virginia Avenue. The stove was positioned along the side wall facing Washington Street, underneath a window. Opposite the side door were stairs that led to the basement. The kitchen windows were covered with café‑style curtains, and the floor was covered with decorative linoleum.

Mae Dudley (Jean’s mother) and Jean sitting at the kitchen/dining
room table with the China hutch behind Mae and the refrigerator
behind Jean. (ca. Easter 1960–61)

Mae Dudley at the kitchen/dining room table (Easter ca. 1960–61)

Ralph (1960)

Jean, her mother Mae Dudley, and Trudi Waltz (Thanksgiving 1962)

Located on the back left corner as you stand in front of the house was a small spare room used for various purposes. Ralph and Jean kept a desk and chair there. The chair opened into a small bed, which has been described as uncomfortable. White lace café‑style curtains adorned the window. Jean often set up card tables (with tablecloths), depending on where one might be needed. In the photo below, that is likely what is happening so she could wrap Christmas presents.

Jean wrapping presents in the spare room (Christmas 1953)

The bedroom sat in the back right corner and had a door leading to the main‑level garage. Photos only show a bed and nightstand made of maple or a similar light hardwood. Ralph and Jean still had the same bedroom furniture in the 1970s. My husband had no further memories of this room. There was a stairway in the hall leading to the bedroom, that led to the attic, which was used for storage.

The bathroom stood offset, across from the front door, reached by walking through the living room. It would have been small, with standard fixtures.

Basement and Garages 

The house had a full basement, divided into a finished and unfinished side. The finished side of the basement walls were covered in cedar planks, giving the space a warm, rustic feel. Windows were small, rectangular, and near the ceiling, covered with decorative brown, white, and orange curtains. That side of the basement had a brick fireplace. Jean kept a glossy black ceramic panther statue on the mantle, an iconic piece of mid‑century home décor. The statue later appeared in the living room upstairs. Ralph and Jean often entertained downstairs. The finished side of the basement was furnished with a couch that relatives slept on when visiting, and various chairs, including lawn chairs. One of the chairs matched the green and white striped sofa they first had in the living room upstairs. That sofa may have been moved downstairs when a new one was purchased for the living room. Ralph added a small bathroom with a shower in the unfinished portion. There was a desk on the unfinished side where he kept an old adding machine that his niece and nephew loved to play with. The basement had two doors—one that led into the garage and one into the backyard.

Early 1950s

Early 1950s

Early 1950s

Ralph and Jean's niece and nephew (early 1960s)

The photos below were taken at a family Thanksgiving dinner that took place in the mid‑1950s with members of the Murphy and Dudley families. Several folding tables were set up in the basement—for eating and laying out the Thanksgiving feast. Two doors are visible—one leading to the downstairs garage and the other to the backyard. The doors were of the same wood as the paneling to blend in. In the second photo you can see a pull‑down screen hanging over the door so Ralph could share his slide collection of their travels with visitors.

 

The house had two single‑car garages, one recessed into the front main level and another located at the back basement level, directly under the main‑level garage and on the unfinished side of the basement. There was one window on the side of the main‑level garage. By 1960, the main‑level garage door was replaced, which is notable from the number of windows on the door.

Ralph owned an AristoCraft Torpedo 14 Boat which he and Jean often took to Tygart Lake in Grafton. He housed the boat in the basement garage, using the side road to maneuver the boat inside the garage. Photos show he eventually replaced the garage door.

Basement garage (1960)

The Yard

When Ralph and Jean moved into the home in 1950, the landscape of the yard was simple. Two small evergreen shrubs were placed close to the façade—one on each side of the front door—and taller, narrow evergreens stood at both ends of the front. A small dogwood grew on the left side of the lawn, just beyond the window. Ralph photographed that dogwood tree many times as it matured.

The front yard with Boogie standing guard at the end of the
driveway (early 1950s)

An elderly Boogie in the backyard (late 1950s)

By the mid‑1950s, the landscaping continued to evolve. The shrubs on the end of the house now nearly reached the edge of the roof. The dogwood had grown considerably, and a flowering tree had been planted opposite the dogwood at the edge of the driveway. The flowering tree eventually overtook the dogwood, doubling in size.

Ralph and Jean planted many flowers, bushes, and flowering trees in the backyard. The backyard held at least two white poplar trees. Their dog Boogie was buried beneath one of them after his death.

Dogwoods in full bloom (late 1950s)

Bushes and spring flowers planted on the side of the
house (early 1950s)

Ralph and Jean's dog, Boogie

Early 1950s

Early 1950s

Shortly after purchasing the property, Ralph and Jean built a stone wall on the Washington Street side of the house, later planting hedges and flowers along its length.

Ralph working on the stone wall (early 1950s)

Jean working on the stone wall (early 1950s)

 

Early 1950s

Ralph also photographed the street being paved in September 1951, capturing neighboring houses in the background as workers moved equipment up and down West Virginia Avenue and Washington Street.

 

 

1952

 Side Porch

The side porch of the house was a small, practical entry built onto the left side of the home (standing in front of the house), providing a convenient side entrance near the kitchen. It had simple white wooden railings with cross‑brace panels and square posts supporting a shallow roof overhang. The door opened directly onto the porch, with a short flight of wooden steps leading down to the yard. Beneath the porch, the foundation was a mix of brick and wood framing. Two brick piers rose from the ground, each topped with a white wooden post that supported the porch above. Metal trash cans were stored beneath the porch. A wooden lattice panel was later added beneath the side porch, enclosing the open area that was used for trash storage. This change gave the porch a more finished look and helped conceal the space below while still allowing ventilation.

 

A Home Remembered

Through Ralph’s photographs and family memories, the house at 501 West Virginia Avenue in Nutter Fort, West Virginia emerges as more than a structure—it becomes a setting for family and friends, projects completed, a yard where Boogie grew old, and small joys like a dogwood tree blooming year after year. It was the backdrop of Ralph and Jean’s early married life—a home they tended with care and made their own for more than two decades.

The house still stands today, though changes have occurred. The stone façade and side porch remain, and the wooden steps have since been replaced with concrete. If the stone wall still stands, it is hidden behind a wooden fence. The landscaping has changed, and Ralph’s favorite dogwood tree is gone now. The main‑level garage was enclosed and an addition added, giving more living space for families residing there today.

Google Street View of 501 West Virginia Avenue, Nutter Fort,
West Virginia, Google Maps (September 3, 2026)

Google Street View of 501 West Virginia Avenue, Nutter Fort,
West Virginia, Google Maps (September 15, 1026)

The image quality of these photos varies, largely due to my learning curve in converting Ralph’s slides to digital files. Even so, they provide a clear window into the house Ralph and Jean shaped over two decades, capturing the everyday details that made it their home.

To see others from his collection, click here.

References

• Obituary, Muriel “Jean” Dudley Murphy, Amos Carvelli Funeral Home; https://amoscarvelli.com/funerals/obituaries/muriel-jean-murphy/1927/. 
• Personal memories of Charles Murphy and Mary Wampler.
• Ralph J. Murphy photo archive.
• U.S. Federal Census, Nutter Fort, Harrison County, West Virginia, 1950.