John Gordon Arthur, son of George Hugh Arthur and Mary Carolina S. Johnson, was born on May 13, 1887 in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. The Arthur family consisted of 10 children—Mattie Ellen Arthur, Anna Belle Arthur, William “Henry” Arthur, Sarah Elizabeth “Bessie” Arthur, Julia “Agnes” Arthur, John “Johnny” Gordon Arthur, Maggie L. Arthur, Mary Frances Arthur, Mamie Arthur, and Georgia Lucile Arthur. His link to me is another complicated one—uncle of wife of nephew of husband of 2nd great-aunt (Lillie Della Lankford George McCollum, sister of my great grandmother, Alice Beman Lankford Callaway)—but it is a link. We have no common relatives.
Johnny’s sister Mary, born in November 1893, died in infancy, date unknown. His sister Mamie died on April 23, 1895. The Oglethorpe Echo published the following news items regarding Mamie:
April 26, 1895—We were sorry to hear of the death of the child of G. H. Arthur last Tuesday morning. We extend our sympathy to the family.
May 3, 1895—We take this method in behalf of the people along the river to extend our sympathy to Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Arthur and brothers and sisters in the death of sweet little Mamie. Yes, indeed she was a sweet and lovely child. Father, mother, brothers, and sister [sic], you have this consolation. She’s not dead but only crossed the river. Gone to her eternal home amid the skies to be with the angels there and walk forevermore the golden streets in paradise.
On June 7, 1900, Johnny and his family lived in Bairdstown. Johnny, aged 13, was attending school, along with sisters Julia and Maggie. His parents had been married for 28 years. Johnny’s father worked as a farmer, as did his brother William. The census enumerator noted Johnny’s mother as having given birth to 10 children, 8 of which were living. Johnny’s 79-year-old widowed grandmother, Caroline Johnson, was living in the home.
On April 15, 1910, Johnny lived on a rental farm in Bairdstown with his brother William, wife Hattie, and children Mary, Hugh, Emily, Suebell, and Nellie. The house would have been a lively one with the five children all ages 6 and under. Both Johnny and William were working as farmers on a general farm. Johnny, his brother, and sister-in-law were all three able to read and write.
Tragedy stuck Johnny’s family on October 20, 1915 with the sudden death of his mother. The Oglethorpe Echo reported her death on October 22:
Announcement of the sudden death of Mrs. George Arthur, of Maxeys, Wednesday was indeed sad news to her many friends over the county. She was in apparently her usual health up until a few hours before her end came when she was taken with something like acute indigestion. She was a woman beloved by all who knew her, a true Christian, a true wife and a fond mother. She is survived by her husband and eight children. Her remains were laid to rest at Bairds church, of which she was a member, yesterday.
Johnny, a 30-year-old farmer living in Maxeys, Georgia, registered for the World War I draft on June 5, 1917 in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. Johnny provided a physical description as medium height and build, blue eyes, and light-colored hair. He was inducted in the U.S. Army at Lexington, Georgia on April 27, 1918 and scheduled to train at Camp Gordon, Georgia, an Army installation located southwest of Augusta, Georgia. Johnny was initially assigned to the 34th Company, 9th Training Battalion and 157th Depot Brigade on May 30, 1918. On June 13, 1918, Johnny’s orders shifted to the 2nd Company, 5th Battalion, 1st Provisional Organization Regiment at Camp Hancock, Georgia, also in Augusta. At Camp Hancock, one of the largest military camps in the United States at that time, Johnny would receive training and preparation for his service during the war. His overseas service in France began on August 6, 1918. Johnny sailed home from Brest, France on April 22, 1919, aboard the U.S.S. New Hampshire, after serving with Supply Company, 53rd Pioneer Infantry. Upon his return, he was honorably discharged as a private on May 19, 1919.
Johnny’s World War I draft registration card (front and back)
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List of men ordered to report to the local board for military duty, Fort Gordon, September 1917 |
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Johnny appeared on a list of men ordered to report to the local board for military duty in 1918 |
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Johnny on a passenger list on his return trip to Georgia |
After the war, Johnny went back home to live with his parents, which is where the census enumerator found him on January 3, 1920. At age 32, he worked as a department store salesman. His father ran a boarding house in Maxeys, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, where they lived, along with five boarders.
Johnny’s father, George, died in Maxeys on September 20, 1924. The Oglethorpe Echo published the following news item on September 26:
Our little town (Maxeys) was again brought to sadness last Saturday morning at 8 o’clock by the sudden death of Mr. George H. Arthur. He had been in declining health for some weeks but he was about his daily duties Saturday morning, expressing himself as feeling better. He went up town, did some buying for the boarding house and on going home and delivering the purchase and coming into the back porch was seized, falling to the floor and in a minute was dead. His death ends a long and useful life. He was in his seventy-third year, was raised and lived in this community all his life and had the utmost respect of everybody who knew him. For sixteen years he had been running a boarding house here. His wife preceded him to the grave three years ago. His body was tenderly put away at the Bairdstown cemetery Sunday afternoon after services by Rev. Carswell. His children who yet remain are Mrs. N. J. Burgess, Henry and John, Misses Mattie, Annie, Bessie, and Lucille.
Just over a year later, Johnny’s brother, Henry, died in Maxeys on December 2, 1925. The Oglethorpe Echo published the following news item on December 18:
A very sad occasion was the burial here (Bairdstown) last Thursday of Mr. Henry Arthur. He died at St. Mary’s hospital after undergoing an operation for appendicitis. He leaves a large family of children to whom we extend our heartfelt sympathy.
After the passing of Johnny’s parents, he and Bessie relocated to Orlando, Orange County, Florida and for the most part, lived together for the rest of his life. In 1926, they resided in a house situated at 878 Atlanta Avenue. Johnny held the position of manager at an A & P grocery store, while Bessie worked as a clerk for F. W. Woolworth Company. By 1928, Johnny and Bessie had moved to a house situated at 922 Lucerne Terrace. Work remained unchanged for both. In the 1928 city directory, the name ‘Gussie’ was listed in parentheses beside Johnny’s name, which would indicate a wife. This was news to me as I have not found a marriage record for Johnny. This was the only year the city directory listed Gussie. Both Johnnie and Bessie lived at 243 Garland in Orlando in 1929.
On April 2, 1930, census records recorded Johnny living alone on South Orange Avenue in Orlando. Interestingly, this census record indicates that Johnny, aged 41, had married at age 37, and then enumerates him as widowed. Johnny was not listed in the Orlando city directory in 1930, although Bessie was. In 1931, Johnny lived on South Orange Avenue, while Bessie had moved to 114 East South. By 1932, both Johnny and Bessie resided at 150 East South. In 1933, they lived at 447 South Orange Street. The 1935 Florida census record listed both Johnny and Bessie at the same address, both as single, with Bessie working as a ‘housewife.’ They continued to live at the same address in 1936. By 1938, they had moved to 101 Liberty Avenue, with Johnny working at A&P and Bessie at a furniture store. In 1939, both lived at 701 East Washington, with Johnny still at A&P and Bessie unemployed.
In 1940, both Johnny and Bessie resided in apartment 9 at 208 Grace Street. He was enumerated as married and working at A&P, while Bessie was enumerated as single and unemployed. Their status remained unchanged in 1941. By 1942, they had both moved to 30 West South. Johnny worked as a clerk at Table Supply Stores, and Bessie continued to be unemployed. They still lived at the same address in 1945, but now Johnny worked as a clerk at Preston E. Foster, and Bessie was employed at Industrial Tropical Linen Supply. According to the 1946 Orlando city directory, they both resided at 30 West South. Johnny served as a produce manager at Kelley’s, while Bessie remained unemployed.
Johnny, aged 57, passed away on December 9, 1946, from unknown causes at his residence at 236 S. Garland in Orlando—a different address than the one listed in the city directory. He was survived by six sisters—Mattie, Anna, Bessie, Lucile, Agnes, and Maggie. There was no mention of a woman named Gussie in his obituary.
His remains were transported by train back to Maxeys on December 11, where he was laid to rest at Bairdstown Cemetery. The Carey Hand Funeral Home was responsible for handling his body and overseeing its transport to Georgia.
The reappearance of the name Mrs. Gussie C. Arthur on the Carey Hand Funeral Home record is intriguing. Without a marriage record, it raises the question of whether others filling out paperwork may have confused Bessie with ‘Gussie.’
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Carey Hand Funeral Home record |
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Headstone at Bairdstown Cemetery |
References
- Death of George H. Arthur, The Oglethorpe Echo, Crawford, Georgia, September 26, 1924.
- Death of little Mamie, The Oglethorpe Echo, Crawford, Georgia, May 3, 1895.
- Death of Mr. Henry Arthur, The Oglethorpe Echo, Crawford, Georgia, December 18, 1925.
- Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52991609/john_gordon-arthur: accessed March 23, 2024), memorial page for John Gordon “Johnny” Arthur (1887–1946), Find a Grave Memorial ID 52991609, citing Bairdstown Cemetery, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Samuel Taylor Geer (contributor 46925792).
- Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46264638/julia_agnes-burgess: accessed March 23, 2024), memorial page for Julia Agnes Arthur Burgess (1 Nov 1884–14 Feb 1975), Find a Grave Memorial ID 46264638, citing Maxeys Christian Church Cemetery, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Áine Ní Donnghaile (contributor 47214861).
- Georgia Lucile Arthur headstone, personal visit to Bairdstown Cemetery, Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.
- J. G. Arthur, Florida Death Index, 1877–1998.
- John G. Arthur, Georgia, World War I Service Cards, 1917–1919.
- John Gordon Arthur and William Henry Arthur, U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918.
- John Gordon Arthur, U.S., Army Transport Service, Passenger Lists, 1910–1939.
- John Gordon Arthur, U.S., Lists of Men Ordered to Report to Local Board for Military Duty, 1917–1918, Select States.
- John Gordon Arthur, U.S., Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917–1940.
- Johnny Arthur, Florida State Census (1935), 1867–1945.
- Memoranda Book 181: Carey Hand Funeral Home records, November 7, 1946 to December 16, 1946; University of Central Florida.
- Mr. J. G. Arthur, Orlando Evening Star, Orlando, Florida, December 10, 1946.
- Orlando, Florida, City Directory, 1925, 1928–1929, 1931–1933, 1935–1936. 1938–1941, 1943, 1945–1946.
- U.S. Federal Census, Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1900, 1910.
- U.S. Federal Census, Falling Creek County, Oglethorpe, Georgia, 1920.
- U.S. Federal Census, Maxeys, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1940.
- U.S. Federal Census, Orlando, Orange County, Florida, 1930, 1940.
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