Hayden Edgar George, Jr.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

References

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

Hayden Edgar George

The George family (from the left:
James. Julia standing in front of James,
mother Mary with daughter Raleigh in her lap,
Hayden standing beside his mother, and
Ennis standing in front of Hayden).

Hayden Edgar George, son of Raleigh David George and Mary Willie Hollingsworth, was born in Smyrna, Cobb County, Georgia on July 21, 1882. He was the third child of six—James England George, Bertie George, Hayden Edgar George, Ennis Adele George, Julia Cleo George, and Raleigh Mae George. Hayden was the husband of my first great grand aunt, Lillie Della (Dell) Lankford. Dell was the sister of my great grandmother, Alice Beman Lankford.

Hayden was just five years old when his older sister Bertie died in 1887. She was buried at Smyrna Presbyterian Campground Cemetery in Conyers, Rockdale County, Georgia.

Raleigh David George died in Rockdale County, Georgia on March 23, 1891 leaving Hayden without a father at the young age of three. Raleigh was buried in a plot beside Hayden’s sister Bertie at Smyrna Presbyterian Campground Cemetery.

Hayden’s mother Mary and his sisters Julia, Ennis, and Raleigh were living in Doraville, DeKalb County, Georgia when the census enumerator came to visit on June 1, 1900 but Hayden was not living with them. His older brother James was living in Greene County with his wife Gussie and father-in-law William Harris McCarty, a Civil War veteran. I’ve looked in the surrounding areas in Doraville and Greene County but so far haven’t been able to find Hayden during that census year. He would have been 18 years old so certainly could be living on his own by then. But where? Hayden’s mother Mary was a dress maker and his siblings were at school. His sister Ennis was enumerated twice in 1900—the first time on June 1 with her mother as noted above. She was enumerated as Eunice on that record. The second time was on June 6 and the census enumerator recorded her as a pupil at the Georgia Academy for the Blind on College Street in Macon, Bibb County, Georgia.

On April 15, 1910, Hayden lived in Penfield, Greene County, Georgia with his brother James and his family. James’ father-in-law William lived with them as well. Hayden’s sister Julia and her husband Augustus Hamilton Clark lived next door. Julia’s neighbor was my 2nd great grandmother Mary Ann (Wilson) Lankford (widowed and 58) and two of her children, Oliver Wilson Lankford (age 20) and Lillie Della Lankford (Dell, age 17). Five months later, Hayden married Dell, Mary’s daughter with James C. Lankford, in Greene County on September 19. Together they had four children—Dell Louise George, Mary Winnie George, Marguerite Elizabeth George, and Hayden Edgar George Jr. They didn’t wait long to start their family. One day before their first anniversary, Hayden and Dell welcomed daughter Dell Louise, who was most likely born in Greene County on September 18, 1911. A year and a half later daughter Mary Winnie was born in Greene County on March 12, 1913.

Greene County, Georgia marriage record for Hayden and Dell

Sometime after Mary’s birth in 1913, Hayden moved his family to Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia. They were living at 53 Crew Street when Hayden registered for the World War I draft on September 12, 1918. He was working as a switchman for a freight yard at the time. Hayden recorded his physical description as tall and of medium build, light blue eyes, and light hair. Although only 36 years old, Hayden was already balding, noting that he was “bald on top.”

It's believed the man is Hayden
but that needs to be confirmed.
The woman is unknown.

By January 17, 1920, Hayden, Dell, and their three children had moved a few doors down to 65 Crew Street where they rented a home. Hayden switched occupations and was now an automobile machinist. He told the census enumerator that he could read and write. An early Christmas present arrived on December 6, 1920 in the form of baby Marguerite. I can’t find a birth record for Marguerite but assume she was born in Atlanta. I assume that for Hayden Jr. as well, born on March 15, 1922 since both the 1924 and 1929 Atlanta city directories show Hayden and Dell living in Atlanta. In 1924, they lived at 505 Pulliam Street. By 1929, they had moved back to Crew Street, living at house number 608. Hayden continued to be a machinist through the 1920s.

On April 8, 1930, Hayden and his family lived at 429 Crew Street in Ward 2 of Atlanta where he rented a home. The census enumerator noted that Hayden was 28 and Dell was 18 when they married. He also incorrectly recorded Hayden’s name as Clayden. Hayden continued to support his family as an automobile machinist. Dell wasn’t working but their daughter Winnie worked as a telephone operator. Atlanta city directories for 1935 and 1936 show Hayden and Dell living at 62 Clarke Street SW. In 1935, Hayden worked as a foreman but no occupation was listed in 1936. Was he working? He was only 54 years old so too young for retirement at that age.

Hayden’s mother Mary (Hollingsworth) George died on January 6, 1935. She was buried beside her husband and daughter Bertie at Smyrna Presbyterian Campground Cemetery in Conyers.

A year and a half later, Hayden died in Fulton County, Georgia on September 18, 1936. He was buried at Penfield Cemetery in Penfield. If I recall correctly, he’s buried near my great grandmother Alice Lankford Callaway. I remember seeing Hayden’s grave every time I’ve been to Penfield Cemetery and over the years, that’s been quite a few times.

Hayden's stone at Penfield Cemetery

52 Ancestors – no. 52: Jessica Corinne Lankford – (week 36)

Jessica Corinne Lankford
Barnhart

Jessica Corinne Lankford, daughter of James C. Lankford and Mary Ann Wilson, was born December 20, 1877 in Greene County, Georgia. She was the 4th child of 10—Homer J. Lankford, Alice Beman Lankford, Julia Lee Lankford, Jessica Corinne Lankford, James Vason Lankford, Mary Corrine Lankford, Nathan Lawrence Lankford, Vincent Thomas Lankford, Oliver Wilson Lankford, and Lillie Della Lankford. She went by Jessie.

On June 10, 1880, Jessie and her family lived in Falling Creek, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. Her grandparents, James Meriweather and Caroline (Hobbs) Lankford lived next door.

On June 1, 1900, Jessie and her family lived in Woodville, Greene County, Georgia. The census enumerator listed her birthdate as October 1882. Charles C. Davison, a member of the prominent Davison family of Greene County, lived two doors away.

Jessie’s father died in Greene County on January 21, 1908. He was buried at Penfield Cemetery in Penfield, Greene County, Georgia. Five days later and most likely heartbroken over the death of her father, Jessie married Seaborn Brice Barnhart, son of Seaborn Riley Barnhart and Talula Alford, on January 26, 1908 in Greene County. The next year would be much happier with the birth of Jessie’s daughter, Mary Lou Barnhart, in Greene County on March 16, 1909. Mary Lou was Jessie’s only child.

On April 20, 1910, Jessie, Brice, and their one year old daughter Mary Lou lived on Watson Spring Road in the Branch division of Greene County. Brice was an overseer on a farm. There were two servants living in the home, John Jorden and Willie Cosby, both farm laborers.

Lankford sisters -- Julia, Jessie, and Alice

Jessie’s mother died of Bright’s disease in Penfield on March 26, 1919. She was buried at Penfield Cemetery beside her husband. Jessie was the administratrix of the estate—a “large estate of real and personal property, worth the sum of five hundred ($500) dollars.” Jessie applied to sell the land in Penfield on June 9, 1919. The petition showed that Mary Lankford’s estate consisted “of a tract of land in the Village of Penfield, Greene County, Georgia, on northeast corner of Evans Gresham lot, bounded north by Main Street, East by thirty feet street and lot of Mrs. Barnhart, south and west by Evans Gresham lot, formerly owned by Penfield Hosiery Mills.” Jessie sold the land for $600 to pay her mother’s debts and then distributed the remaining money among her mother’s siblings.

On January 30, 1920, the Barnhart family lived in Penfield. Brice was a farmer on a home farm and Jessie a housekeeper. Her brother, Vincent Thomas Lankford Sr. and his family lived four houses away.

Jessie’s sister, Julia Lankford Hazlett, died from an enlarged spleen caused by leukemia in Wilkes County, Georgia on September 2, 1924. She was only 49 years old. Julia was buried the next day at Resthaven Cemetery in Washington, Wilkes County, Georgia.

Jessie, daughter Mary Lou, and husband Brice Barnhart

Jessie’s brother, James Vason Lankford, died on December 22, 1929 from chronic interstitial nephritis in Tryon, Polk County, North Carolina. He was brought home and buried at Penfield Cemetery.

On April 23, 1930, Jessie and her family still lived in Penfield. Her widowed aunt, Nannie Lankford, aged 77, lived with them. Aunt Nannie must have been the wife of her Uncle Nathan Lankford, the only male child of her grandparents besides her father James. Nathan is still a mystery to me. I don’t have much information on him at this point. But I did find a marriage record for a Nathan Lankford who married Mary Moore in Greene County. So it’s a good chance Aunt Nannie was Mary, but that needs to be proven.

On April 13, 1940, Jessie and Bryce lived in Penfield. The highest grade Jessie had attended in school was the 7th. The census enumerator spelled their last name as Barnheart.

About 1946, Jessie and Bryce moved to Greensboro, Greene County, Georgia to be near their daughter.

Jessie died at home in Greensboro on August 1, 1951. Her funeral was held at McCommons Chapel with the Rev. F. A. Kilgore and the Rev. Sewell Dixon officiating. She was buried at Penfield Cemetery on August 2. The Herald Journal ran her obituary on August 10, 1951 reporting that Jessie had been ill for 10 days prior to her death. It further reported that Jessie had a happy childhood spent near Penfield, where she continued to live after her marriage. Jessie was very involved in the Baptist Church and spent “a lifetime of service in the work of her Master.” She frequently entertained ministers in her home and was actively involved with her church until declining health prevented her from doing so. Jessie was devoted to Bryce and Mary Lou and full of love for her friends. She could always be counted on to help others. One of her greatest pleasures was growing flowers, which she shared with friends. Jessie was survived by her husband Bryce, daughter Mary Lou Barnhart Jackson, a grandson Grady Jackson, Jr., three sisters, Della McCollum of Smyrna, Cobb County, Georgia, Mary Callaway of Greensboro, Alice Callaway (who died four months later on December 5, 1951), of Union Point, Greene County, Georgia; and three brothers, Nathan Lankford of Union Point; Vincent Lankford of Greensboro, and Oliver Lankford of Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia.

Did you notice that this was blogpost number 52? That means it completes my first year of Amy Johnson Crow’s 52 Ancestors challenge. I know, it’s only September so how could it be week 52. Well, I joined in late last year. I didn’t find Amy’s challenge until August 2014 and then I spent a couple of weeks thinking about whether I wanted to accept it or not. I don’t consider myself a writer so I wasn’t sure how it would go. But I decided it would be a worthwhile project to tackle. At the time, my father-in-law was living with us. His health was declining rapidly so we were pretty much homebound with him. The challenge gave me something to do while we sat with him in the evenings. Early on I decided that I would write in a timeline format—beginning with birth and ending with death. For every blogpost, I check to see what information I already have for an ancestor. Then I search www.ancestry.com to see what new information I can find. I also got a little help from Mama and my Aunt Barbara. Along the way, I’ve discovered new information, corrected mistakes previously made in my research, and hopefully not made any new mistakes. It’s been a fun project and now I’m looking forward to year two!