George Cleveland Burnett

George Cleveland Burnett, son of Edward George Burnett and Frances “Fannie” Rice was born November 1885 in Covington, Newton County, Georgia. The Burnett family was a large one with 10 children. I can document 8 of them by name—Captain Charles Burnett, Richard Clifford Burnett, Maggie Burnett, William Clarence Burnett, Claud Young Burnett, Ida Burnett, George Cleveland Burnett, and Cornelia “Nealy or Neal” Ann Burnett. The 9th and 10th children can be documented but not named via the 1900 Gem Creek, District 85, Newton County, Georgia census record that shows Fannie had 10 children, 8 of which were living.

This has been a hard family to research, beginning with George’s father, Edward. Edward’s last name was actually Caton, not Burnett. After much research many years ago by a group of Burnett relatives, we came to the conclusion that Edward’s father, William Caton, died or divorced his mother Drucilla Henson just prior to 1850. Around 1854 or 1855, Drucilla married Joseph Burnett and they moved to Gwinnett County, Georgia. At least two of Drucilla’s three children with William Caton changed their last name to Burnett, Edward and his brother Samuel Pride Burnett. Samuel is my 2nd great grandfather. If you’re interested in reading about the name change, click here. 

George and I are 1st cousins 3x removed. Our nearest common relatives are William Caton and Drucilla Henson. 

George was just eight years old when he lost his father Edward who died in Conyers, Rockdale County, Georgia on April 18, 1894. Edward was buried at Almand Cemetery there in Conyers.

On June 25, 1900, 14-year-old George lived with his family in Gum Creek, Newton County, Georgia. His widowed mother was a farmer on a rented farm. There were four children living in the home—Clarence, Ida, Cleveland, and Nealy (Cornelia). Clarence was working as a farm laborer and both George, who was enumerated as Cleveland, and Cornelia were at school. It was noted that Fannie, Clarence, and Ida were able to read, write, and speak English. George’s brother Richard (enumerated as Clifford) lived next door with his wife Mary and daughters Fannie and Katie.

On April 27, 1910, George lived with his brother Richard and his family on Hammonsville Road in the Gum Creek neighborhood of Newton County. George was a farm laborer on a home farm, most likely helping his brother work his farm. George was unable to read or write. Richard and his wife Mary had six children—Fannie M. Burnett, Katie Bell Burnett, Metz Burnett, Ray Burnett, Charles Burnett, and Billie Burnett.

George enlisted in the U.S. Army for a period of three years at Ft. Slocum in New York on November 9, 1910. He stated that he was born in Newton County, Georgia, was 25 years old, and a farmer. George had blue eyes, medium brown hair, a ruddy complexion, and was six foot one and a half inches tall. He was discharged on November 8, 1913 at Fort Mason, “once known as the San Francisco Port of Embarkation, US Army, in San Francisco, California.” If I’m reading the paper trail correctly, at the age of 28, George re-enlisted in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio on July 16, 1914. At the time, he lived in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia so I’m not sure why he would have re-enlisted in Ohio. By December 1917, he was serving as a Mess Sergeant. On June 18, 1919, George served with the Quartermaster Corps, “the U.S. Army’s oldest logistics branch.” He received an honorable discharge on July 8, 1920 upon the abolition of the Regular Army Reserve following the passage of the National Defense Act of 1920. 

George's World War I service card

George apparently remained a part of the Organized Reserve until his death of tubercular meningitis in St. Louis, Missouri on November 8, 1921. At the time, he was a soldier at Jefferson Barracks, “a training and recruitment station for soldiers heading to Europe,” there in Missouri. At age 35, George never married. He was buried in the Burnett family plot at Almand Cemetery in Conyers on November 11. On June 2, 1932, the Conyers Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy filed an application for a military headstone. It was to be delivered to George’s brother Clarence who lived in Conyers. 

Application for Headstone

The stone was shipped in late September and reads:

[it has a cross above his name]

GEORGE C.

BURNETT

GEORGIA

MESS SGT. Q.M. CORPS

NOVEMBER 8, 1921

References

• Fort Mason; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Mason.
• Garrett, Franklin Miller, Cemetery Record Atlanta and Vicinity, v. 8, 1874–1932, George C. Burnett, p. 179, Georgia, Fulton County records from the Atlanta History Center, 1827-1955; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89H1-L8FN?i=181&cc=2125026&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQL2J-9XQ9.
• George C. Burnett, Applications for headstones for U.S. military veterans, 1925-1941; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GP8V-23H?i=2363&cc=1916249&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AVHZ4-SKX.
• George C. Burnett, Missouri State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death no. 30392, Missouri, Death Certificates, 1910-1969, Missouri Digital Heritage; https://www.sos.mo.gov/images/archives/deathcerts/1921/1921_00032862.PDF.
• George C. Burnett, WWI Statement of Service Summary Cards, CLM-396.
• National Defense Act of 1920; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Defense_Act_of_1920.
• Quartermaster Corps (United States Army); https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartermaster_Corps_(United_States_Army).
• U. S. Federal Census, Enumeration District 110, Rockdale County, Georgia, 1880.
• U. S. Federal Census, Gum Creek, District 1249, Newton County, Georgia, 1900.
• U. S. Federal Census, Subdivision 96, Newton County, Georgia, 1870.
• U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914.
• U.S. Federal Census, Gum Creek, District 140, Newton County, Georgia, 1910.
• United States Army Reserve; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Reserve.

Marian Langford Hobbs

Marian Langford Hobbs

Marian Langford Hobbs, daughter of Nathan Augustus Hobbs Sr. and Mary Elizabeth Lankford, was born in Georgia, most likely Greene County. I have a birthdate for Marian, but unfortunately, there is an issue with the date. Marian’s tombstone records her birthdate as October 29, 1835. The month and date are probably correct, but, if she was born in 1835, she would have been 10 years old when her first child was born. I don’t think so. So, the question here is what year was she born. It took me writing this post to actually see this date issue, even though other researchers have shared information with me in the past where they noted the discrepancy. The first thing I did after realizing this was to take a look back at census records. In the 1850 census, Marian was 25 years old (born about 1825); in 1860, she was 30 years old (born about 1830); in 1870, she was 40 years old (born about 1830); and in 1880, she was 45 years old (born about 1835). So, it’s a best guess scenario. Her brother Minor was born on July 24, 1830 so my guess is she wasn’t born that year since she was born in October. There is a large gap between the birth of her sister Caroline in 1821 and her brother Augustus in 1829, so a good possibility would be 1825, but I can’t confirm that and I haven’t found any birth records that would help.

Marian had seven siblings—Robert L. Hobbs, Joel Garner Hobbs, Rebecca L. Hobbs, Caroline B. Hobbs, Nathan Augustus Hobbs Jr. (he may have gone by Augustus), Minor Smith Hobbs, and Elizabeth Fanny Hobbs. Marian is my 3rd great grand aunt, with her parents being our nearest common relatives. Her sister Caroline is my 3rd great grandmother.

Marian married John Jenkins in Greene County, Georgia on September 13, 1845. Her name was spelled “Meron” on the marriage certificate. They had four children together—John Nathan C. Jenkins, Marian Louisa Jenkins, Mary Elizabeth Jenkins, and William Jenkins.

John Jenkins-Meron L. Hobbs marriage license (1845)

On August 14, 1850, Marian and John lived in Greshamville (District 145) of Greene County, Georgia. She was enumerated as Maria L. Jenkins, age 25. John was a printer, born in South Carolina. He had real estate valued at $100. With three young children, John (age 4), Louisa (age 2), and Mary (age 5 months), the house would have been a busy one.

By 1860, Marion’s husband John had disappeared so was probably dead, but I have yet to find a record confirming that. I did find several announcements published in The Temperance Banner, a local Penfield newspaper, in the fall of 1852 through at least June 1853, where James L. Tarwater, guardian of John Jenkins (lunatic) was selling the interest of Jenkins’ 160 acres of land in Cherokee county. It’s possible this was Marian’s husband since James L. Tarwater was married to her sister Rebecca so was her brother-in-law. If John was having health issues, I suppose it makes sense that a male family member may have taken guardianship to handle his affairs. But this is something else I have been unable to prove at this point.

On June 4, 1860, the census enumerator found Marion living with her parents in Penfield, Greene County, Georgia. She was enumerated as Marian Jenkins (age 30). Unfortunately, the record does not show her marital status but John was not enumerated with her. Only two of her children were living in the house—Louisa (age 12) and William (age 9). Both were attending school. Marian’s oldest son, John, was living with her brother, Nathan Augustus Hobbs Jr. and his wife Harriet in Penfield. At age 13, John was also attending school. Marian’s daughter Mary (age 10) was living four houses away with Marian’s sister Rebecca Tarwater and her husband James. Marion’s father was the postmaster; her brother Minor was a painter.

One month after the 1860 census was taken, Marian married William Harris McCarty, son of John D. McCarty and Rena Harris, in Greene County on July 8, 1860. William is described by a grandson as having blue eyes, thin, tall, and “straight as a ram rod.”

William McCarty-Marion L. Jenkins marriage license (1860)

In April 1862, William enlisted as a private in Company B of the 55th Infantry Regiment of Georgia. William surrendered with his company at Cumberland Gap in Tennessee on September 9, 1863. It’s been said that “after the Civil War ended, he did not like Yankees and would never wear the color blue.” Marian’s brothers Minor Smith Hobbs and Nathan Augustus Hobbs Jr. both served with the Third Georgia Infantry Regiment, Company C, also known as the Dawson Grays, during the Civil War. Nathan (or Augustus, whichever name he went by) died of wounds received during the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania on July 2, 1863. Minor survived the war and brought the regimental drum back home to Greene County, holding onto it until old age when he gave it to Captain W. A. Wright, a member of the regiment. The drum eventually made its way to the Georgia State Capitol museum. When my sister discovered that piece of information, she contacted the museum that holds the drum and she, Daddy, and myself were given a personal tour of the drum and Greene County regimental flag that was in storage at the time. Marian’s brother Joel served with Medlin’s Independent Company, Georgia Infantry.

Third Georgia Infantry Regiment, Company C (Dawson Grays) drum

On June 22, 1870, Marian and William lived in Penfield, along with their infant daughter Mattie. The census record noted that Mattie was two months old, born in April. William was a farmer with a personal estate valued at $250. Marion was keeping house. An eight-year-old black girl named Margaret Lankford was living in the home with them.

Marian later in life

On June 14, 1880, Marian and William lived in Penfield. Their last name was enumerated as McCarter. William (Bill) was a farmer and Marion keeping house. The only child in the home was a daughter named Gussie, enumerated as a 10-year-old laborer. Her full name was Gussie Annette McCarty. Gussie’s age isn’t correct is this census record. Her tombstone shows her birth year as 1884 and her obituary lists it as 1883. Gussie’s obituary also notes that she was born in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, so either the family left Penfield for a short time or Gussie was living with someone else. Her living with another family member is entirely possible as we’ve already seen that happen with Marian’s other children.

Marian’s father Nathan died in Penfield on June 4, 1889 at the age of 99. An Atlanta Constitution article that ran on June 7 marking his death noted that he “was one of the most remarkable men ever raised in the county.” Nathan was buried at Penfield Cemetery in Penfield.




Just five months after the death of her father, Marian died in Penfield at the age of 54 on November 1, 1889. She was buried at Penfield Cemetery. Her tombstone reads "None knew them but to love them, none named them but to praise."

 

I’m happy I chose to blog about Marian because it took me looking at her life timeline to realize the birth date issue. And because I hadn’t really looked at that before, I was posting incorrect information.

References

• "Guardian’s Sale," The Temperance Banner, Penfield, Georgia, September 25, 1852, December 11, 1852, and June 25, 1853.
• Marian L. McCarty tombstone, Penfield Cemetery, Penfield, Georgia.
• Marion Hobbs, North America, Family Histories, 1500–2000.
• Marion L. Jenkins and William McCarty marriage certificate, Georgia, Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• Memories of Guy Walton George.
• Meron L. Hobbs and John Jenkins marriage certificate, Georgia, Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• U.S. Federal Census, District 145, Greene County, Georgia, 1850.
• U.S. Federal Census, Militia District 140, Greene County, Georgia, 1870.
• U.S. Federal Census, Militia District 148, Greene County, Georgia, 1880.
• U.S. Federal Census, Penfield, Greene County, Georgia, 1860, 1870.
• William H. McCarty, Georgia, Confederate Pension Applications, 1879–1960.

Giving back, part 2—North Carolina floods

Hurricane Floyd making landfall in North Carolina
on September 16, 1999 (public domain)

This blog post is the second in a series related to my Mama’s (Fay Lankford) volunteer activities. As long as I can remember, volunteering has been an important part of her life and I wanted to highlight some of what she’s done to serve others.

In September 1999, Mama and her best friend Sue Jester spent three weeks in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, a historic city located near the Tar River. Unfortunately, they weren’t there on a girl’s vacation, but rather a mission as mass care technicians supporting the Red Cross relief efforts for the floods caused by Hurricane Floyd.

Floyd, at one point a Category 4 hurricane, made landfall in the Cape Fear region of North Carolina as a Category 2. Torrential rainfall followed, causing widespread, historic flooding in the area which just weeks earlier had experienced torrential rainfall from Hurricane Dennis. Residents, who had been evacuated prior to Floyd making landfall, came back to utter devastation. Everything was lost—homes and all their possessions. Thousands were left homeless. Cars were destroyed, pushed around by the water. All of their household belongings had to be piled on the curb for pick up. Always there to help, the Red Cross called on its team of volunteers. Both Mama and Sue were recently trained members of the American Red Cross Disaster Action Team and they didn’t hesitate to accept this as their first national assignment. They were assigned to work together in Rocky Mount. After meeting a Red Cross representative at the Atlanta Airport to pick up their airline tickets, they boarded a plane to North Carolina. Upon arrival, they were picked up in a van and taken to the center they would work out of. Volunteers were interviewed one by one to determine pairings and were then divided into teams. Since they were friends, Mama and Sue were paired together.

Mama and Sue Jester

Mama and Sue checked into a motel (they shared a room) located about 10 – 15 miles from the church that would be their focal point every day. They were assigned to an Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV), the truck used to feed the flood victims. Mama remembers a nice young man who stayed at the same motel but was not assigned to her team. He was wealthy and didn’t have work so instead, spent his time volunteering. The young man drove the ERV from the church to the motel the first night. Sue preferred to drive herself, so after that first trip, she took the wheel.

Photo by Jonathan Heeter, Clayton County News Daily, June 21, 2002

At the end of each day, Mama and Sue would get cleaned up and then go out to dinner. Mama remembers eating BBQ one night. She said they didn’t like it though—too much vinegar. She also remembers there being a lot of men from the Salvation Army at the restaurant that night who walked through the restaurant, talking to the volunteers. The remainder of their nights were spent in their room, watching TV. Mama said the young man played the stock market at night.

Tents and food preparation stations were set up on the church grounds. The Southern Baptist Men’s Association brought their own equipment—stoves, pots, and pans—and cooked large quantities of food outside. After returning from their daily food delivery, Mama and Sue helped wash the pots and pans for the men. Everyone worked long hours, usually at least 12-hour days, sometimes more. Mama and Sue had one day off during their mission, but they didn’t mind. They were happy to be helping. They served one meal a day – around 1 pm. Food was served to the flood victims in disposable divided food containers. In addition to handing out food, Mama and Sue prepared toiletry kits with items such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, soap, and tissues. As they distributed food, they offered the toiletry kits, a wash bucket, mop, bottle of cleanser, and a roll of paper towels to anyone that wanted them.

Mama and unknown volunteers

Mama remembers riding through neighborhoods where household items such as pianos, refrigerators, stoves, beds, and televisions were stacked on the side of the road. They passed a nursery school that had piled all the little chairs on the street to be hauled away in a dump truck. She remembers a man sitting on a bedsheet in his front yard, holding pictures of his family. Most of the houses were gutted. One was sitting in the middle of the road. Mama never saw any, but was told there were dead cows floating in nearby streets.

After returning home at the end of her three-week mission, Mama told a reporter for the Clayton Neighbor that she’d do it all over again. She received a certificate of appreciation from the Red Cross signed by the Vice President of Disaster Services and the Chairman of Disaster Services recognizing her time and dedication in assisting those affected by Hurricane Floyd in September 1999. They were proud of the work they had done to help the flood victims.

In Part 3, I’ll tell you about Mama volunteering to be a security guard during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. If you missed my post about her support to the Red Cross during the Oregon and California fires of 2002, you can read that here.

References

• Effects of Hurricane Floyd in North Carolina; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_Hurricane_Floyd_in_North_Carolina.
• Helping Flood Victims, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, November 11, 1999.
• Holness, Jacqueline J., “Clayton’s Red Cross Volunteers Experience First Emergency Relief,” Clayton Neighbor, November 10, 1999.
• Hurricane Floyd; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Floyd.
• Hurricane Floyd making landfall in North Carolina on September 16th, 1999; https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Floyd1999NCLandfall.gif file created by Hello32020 / public domain; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Floyd1999NCLandfall.gif .
• Personal memories of Fay Lankford.

Nellie Lynne 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.

Nellie Lynne Bryant, daughter of Eugene Herbert Bryant and Nancy Tallulah “Lula” Bouchelle, was born on January 19, 1889 in Georgia, most likely Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County. She was the 4th child of 14—Leroy Bryant, Clinton Bouchelle Bryant, J. Iverson Bryant, Nellie Lynne Bryant, Mamie Bryant, Hugh Crawford Bryant, Rebecca M. Bryant, Herbert A. Bryant, Clark Howell Bryant, Clyde Bryant, Emily Elizabeth Bryant, Noel T. Bryant, William M. Bryant, and an infant son Bryant. Nellie and I are 2nd cousins 3x removed. Our nearest common relatives are Charles L. Lankford and Miss Moore. Her grandmother, Elizabeth Ann Lankford Bryant, was the sister of my 3rd great grandfather, James Meriweather Lankford.

Sadly, something terrible happened to Nellie around the middle of December 1892, when she was just three years old. The Oglethorpe Echo reported that she died on December 30, 1892 after being “badly burned a few weeks since.” She would have celebrated her 4th birthday in 20 days. Nellie was buried at Bairdstown Cemetery. Her tombstone is inscribed with the following:

Nellie Lynne
Daughter of E. H. & N.T. Bryant
Jan. 19, 1889 - Dec. 30, 1892
Gone in her young years
Ere sorrow could stain,
Afar from lifes cares,
Its grief and its pain.

Nellie’s parents lost several children in infancy or childhood. Nellie was the first. The others were Iverson at age 10 months in 1887, Noel at age 7 in 1912, and a son who was born and died in 1909.

References

• Bryant family cemetery plot, Bairdstown Cemetery, Bairdstown, Georgia.
• “Maxey Matters,” Oglethorpe Echo, January 5, 1893.
• U.S. Federal Census, Falling Creek, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1900, 1910.
• U.S. Federal Census, Woodstock, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1880.

Happy Father’s Day in Heaven

This Sunday will be the first Father’s Day since my Daddy passed away at the age of 93 ten months ago. I live in Virginia and Daddy lived in Georgia so normally, I called Daddy on Father’s Day. Since that’s no longer an option, instead I’m dedicating today’s post to his memory and sharing some of our family photos.

In the first photo, I’m the baby Daddy is holding. My sister Jennifer is sitting on top of the car beside him and my sister Bonita is standing to her left. I discovered this photo last year after converting negatives I found at Mama’s house.

This is another photo discovered in the negatives. Daddy and I are in the back yard of our Atlanta house on Macon Drive. What do you think, do I look like him?

In the next photo, we were visiting my grandparents, Daddy’s parents, in Penfield, Georgia. Mama was probably taking the picture so apparently all seven of us were crammed in that little car. Along with Daddy, you see Jennifer, Vanessa, Michael, me, and Bonita.

 
Me, Jennifer, Daddy, and Michael at Grant Park in Atlanta.

At first, I thought this photo was taken at Atlanta’s Westview Cemetery, a place we used to go for Sunday afternoon drives. But as I write this, I realize we have the same clothes on as the photo above so it was probably taken at Grant Park as well.

In 2006, we threw an 80th birthday party for Daddy that was attended by our immediate family as well as most of Daddy’s siblings and their families. This photo of my son Chris, Daddy, and me was taken that day.

Daddy liked to eat at the Atlanta State Farmers Market Restaurant in Forest Park. This photo of me, Daddy, Bonita, and Jennifer was taken on one of our visits there. He liked to get catfish and a sweet potato.

Daddy loved azaleas and had them all over his yard. This photo of me, Daddy, and Jennifer was taken in front of the island he planted in his Riverdale front yard.

On Daddy’s 90th birthday, we gathered in the staff breakroom at the nursing home for a quick party. I say “quick” because he really didn’t want to be there that day. He had dementia and was probably confused by all the activity since it was the first time we had gathered as a family in a long time. We were able to convince him to give us enough time to watch him open cards, have cake (which he wouldn’t eat), and take a few photos. Then he was ready to go take a nap. This photo is me, Jennifer, Michael, Daddy, and Vanessa.

Daddy lives on in the heritage plants I have growing in my yard so even though he’s gone, I think of him every time I walk out my door. I see him in these hydrangeas that are blooming like crazy right now.

The Sedum Autumn Joy started with one plant and is slowly spreading. I’ll need to separate them soon before they take over. The rock in the middle of the photo came from the wooded area of the Thomas P. Janes family cemetery in Greene County, Georgia. Thomas Janes Sr. is my 2nd great grandfather. Many years ago, Daddy helped me find the cemetery, which is in the woods, in the middle of nowhere.

My Nandinas also started with one plant on the front corner of my house. We did a major remodel of our house in 2012 and had to dig it up. My husband took several sprouts and planted them in the backyard so now have two nice rows growing. We apparently didn’t dig the entire plant up from the front corner of the house either. It came back and is back in its glory. We were just recently talking about how pretty it is at Christmas time when it’s decorated with Christmas lights during the snow.

Even though these aren’t heritage flowers, I plant Lantana every year because Daddy did.

The Spider Lily in the photos below bloomed randomly last fall, surprising us. Over the years, Daddy gave me many bulbs that I brought home to Virginia and planted along the front and side of my house. We lost all of those bulbs when we did the remodel in 2012. Last September (a month after Daddy passed away), my husband called me outside to look at something before he weed wacked it. Turns out it was this single Spider Lily that popped up out of nowhere. As soon as I looked at it, I thought of Daddy and told my husband he talking to us ... telling me he’s okay.

In memory of my Daddy, Samuel Terrell Lankford. Happy Father’s Day in Heaven.

Ladies of First Presbyterian Church, Apollo, Pennsylvania

In May 2018, I blogged about a photo album that once belonged to my husband’s grandmother, Bertha Edna Smith Athya and is now in the possession of my husband and I. Bertha also left a box of photos behind, many of them from her early years. Most of the photos are the size of a baseball card, measuring 2½ inches by 3½ inches.

Bertha was born in Paulton, Pennsylvania but the Smith family has roots in Apollo. Bertha and her husband George Durie Athya lived in Apollo after their marriage in Pittsburgh on June 14, 1924, 96 years ago this weekend.

The photo below is one of the photos from that box. Bertha herself labeled the photo as the “Ladies from First Presbyterian Church, Apollo, Pa.” Bertha is not in the photo but her mother, Amanda Larimer Horne Smith is. She’s the woman holding the child, whom I believe is one of her grandchildren. My best guess for the child is that it’s either Stanley Stewart Smith, born 1919 in Apollo, or his sister Alma Margaret Smith, born 1922 in Apollo. Both are the children of Amanda’s son Howard Stanley Smith and his wife Myrtle Mary Stewart Smith, whom I believe is the woman with a necklace, standing in the center, looking down. I also believe that Myrtle’s mother, Mary Bell Johnston Stewart, is the woman standing between Myrtle and Amanda (center with dark hair and glasses). These are just my best guesses so if you can tell me otherwise, or identify anyone else, I’d love to hear from you.

On a side note, it wasn’t until I enlarged the photo (remember it’s the size of a baseball card) that I realized several of the ladies are either eating or holding an apple. That's probably an apple tree behind them.

Postcard - First Presbyterian Church of Apollo, Pa.

Rebecca L. Hobbs

Rebecca's stone in Penfield Cemetery

Rebecca L. Hobbs, daughter of Nathan Augustus Hobbs Sr. and Mary Elizabeth Lankford, was born in North Carolina in January 1819. She was the third of eight children—Robert L. Hobbs, Joel Garner Hobbs, Rebecca L. Hobbs, Caroline B. Hobbs, Nathan Augustus Hobbs Jr., Minor Smith Hobbs, Elizabeth Fanny Hobbs, and Marian Langford Hobbs. Rebecca is my 3rd great grand aunt. Our nearest common relatives are her parents. Her sister Caroline is my 3rd great grandmother.

Shortly after Rebecca was born, her family moved to Georgia, settling in Penfield in Greene County.
When Rebecca was 21 years old, she married Jackson C. Phelps on April 1, 1840 in Greene County. I haven’t been able to figure out what happened to Jackson but records show that Rebecca married her second husband, James L. Tarwater, on November 2, 1847 in Greene County. James, born 1814 in Virginia, worked as a cutter in the tailoring business in Penfield.

Jackson Phelps and Rebecca Hobbs marriage certificate

James Tarwater and Rebecca Phelps marriage certificate

The pamphlet Mercer at Penfield 1833-1871: Centennial Celebration, published by Mary Callaway Jones on May 27, 1933, has an entry that leads me to believe Rebecca and Jackson may have divorced because it sounds as if he’s still alive in 1852. The entry reads:

46. THE NATHAN HOBBS HOUSE Nathan Hobbs was Postmaster during part of Mercer's Penfield era. One of his daughters was (1) Mrs. Jackson C. Phelps, (2) Mrs. Jas. L. Tarwater. In 1852 Jackson C. Phelps resided on the corner of Davis and Marshall streets. J. L. Tarwater's home was between No. 17 and No. 18. Another daughter was Mrs. Jenkins.

If you can tell me otherwise, I’d love to hear from you.

On October 29, 1850, Rebecca and James lived in Salem, Greene County, Georgia. The census record shows that she was born in North Carolina. James was a tailor with real estate valued at $500. On October 7, 1854, after a church conference, Rebecca received a letter of admission from Baird’s Baptist Church in Oglethorpe County, Georgia and James received a letter of admission for Penfield Baptist Church. He had previously been granted a letter of dismission. In December 1854, Rebecca was awarded a $5 premium for best wove quilt or coverlet in the Southern Domestic Manufacturers category by the Southern Central Agricultural Society at the Ninth Annual Fair held in Augusta, Georgia. On March 12, 1859, Rebecca and James were admonished by the church for dancing, something people do all the time today, and often in a church. An entry in the Penfield Baptist Church minutes held in the Special Collections section of the Mercer University Library reads:

Church met in conference. Rules of Decorum and minutes of the last meeting were read. … The committee appointed at the last conference to inquire into the reports relative to dancing, made report. Bro. Tarwater made a statement to the church, in which he confessed that himself and Sister Tarwater had been engaged in dancing, acknowledged the impropriety of their conduct, and begged the forgiveness of the Church, pledging themselves not again to engage in such amusement. On motion the forgiveness of the Church was extended to Br. and Siter [sic] Tarwater.

The church was not happy that Rebecca and James danced

The 1860s was a busy time for Rebecca and her family. On June 4, 1860, Rebecca and James lived in Penfield. James was still working as a tailor. His real estate was now valued at $600 and personal estate $750. Rebecca’s 10-year-old niece Mary Jenkins, daughter of her sister Marian, was living in the home. There was also a 23-year-old white male named Homer Neeson in the home with the Tarwaters. Homer was a medical student and had a personal estate valued at $950. He was probably attending Mercer University. Rebecca’s brother Nathan, who served with the Dawson Grays, Company C, Third Georgia Infantry Army of Northern Virginia from Greene County during the Civil War, was killed in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on July 2, 1863. In July 1864, a year after Nathan’s death, Rebecca’s husband James enlisted at Greensboro, Greene County, Georgia with Capt. Wards Company C of the First Georgia Militia or Mell’s Regiment. James was sent home due to illness after serving only nine months. He was not with his command at the surrender at Appomattox Court House. On May 4, 1867, letters of dismission were granted to both Rebecca and James from the Penfield Baptist Church.

On August 8, 1870, Rebecca, James, and Mary lived in Greensboro. James continued to work as a tailor and his personal estate was again at $500. There was a 16-year-old black male named William Langston who worked as a day laborer living in the home. William could neither read nor write. In 1875, Rebecca spent three weeks tending to her sick husband.

On June 14, 1880, Rebecca and James lived in Penfield. James still worked as a tailor and Rebecca was now enumerated as a farmer. The birthplace for both was recorded as Georgia, not North Carolina for Rebecca or Virginia for James. Neither Rebecca or James were able to read or write. There was a 12-year-old black male servant named Warren living in the home. They lived next door to the Ligon McWhorter family, a prominent family in Greene County. During the 1880s, in addition to working as a tailor, James sold churns, washing machines, and sewing machines. In 1886, Rebecca had a severe illness of some sort—severe enough it was noted that she was recovering in the Georgia Home Journal on August 20.

Rebecca’s father Nathan died in Penfield at the age of 99 on June 4, 1889. An Atlanta Constitution article that ran on June 7 marking his death noted that he “was one of the most remarkable men ever raised in the county.” Nathan was buried at Penfield Cemetery in Penfield.

After 45 years of marriage to Rebecca, James died on July 12, 1893 at the age of 79 in Penfield. He too was buried at Penfield Cemetery. At the time, Rebecca suffered from rheumatism, heart trouble, and shortness of breath. Years later when filing for a widow’s pension, Rebecca stated that James left her without any property. With no income, Rebecca had to depend on the help of charity and the Penfield Baptist Church to survive. She lived in poverty. During the years 1899 and 1900, her support cost $60 or $70 per year of which she contributed nothing.

On June 16, 1900, a widowed Rebecca lived alone in Penfield. This census record confirms that Rebecca never had children of her own. Her next-door neighbors were Joseph and Minnie G. Boswell. In 1948, the Minnie G. Boswell Hospital was built in Greensboro. In 1901, Rebecca filed for an indigent widow’s pension in Greene County on the grounds of age and poverty, conditions she had suffered from for at least 10 years. Records show she was approved for pension at least during the years 1901, 1903, and 1904–1907.

Rebecca signed her last will and testament on September 10, 1908.

Rebecca left her mark on her will on September 10, 1908

It was published by John S. Callaway on November 19, 1909. Her niece, Mary Elizabeth (Jenkins) Moore, who had been named as executrix, acknowledged on December 6, 1909 that she would execute Rebecca’s will. I haven’t found a death record for Rebecca but this leads me to believe she died about November 1909 at about 90 years of age. Rebecca was buried at Penfield Cemetery in Penfield.

Line of Hobbs, Lankford, and Tarwater graves at Penfield Cemetery.
You can see the grave of Jesse Mercer, a prominent Baptist minister from Georgia,
in the back at the end of the line of graves. Mercer University was named for Jesse Mercer.

Although Rebecca had filed affidavits that her husband left her with no property and that she had no income, she bequeathed her 10-acre lot in Penfield known as the Tarwater lot, as well as all of her household and kitchen furniture to “her beloved niece Mary.”

Land survey of Rebecca's property (10 acres) taken in May 1908

References

• “At His Post,” The Greensboro Herald, Greensboro, Georgia, February 25, 1875.
• Jones, Mary Callaway, Mercer at Penfield 1833-1871: Centennial Celebration, May 27, 1933
• “List of Premiums,” Southern Banner, Athens, Georgia, December 21, 1854.
• Marriage Certificate, Jackson Phelps and Rebecca Hobbs, Greene County, Georgia, recorded May 12, 1840.
• Marriage Certificate, James L. Tarwater and Rebecca Phelps, Greene County, Georgia, recorded September 23, 1848.
• “Our Esteemed Friend,” The Greensboro Herald, Greensboro, Georgia, April 6, 1882.
• Penfield Baptist Church Minutes, 1839–1892.
• Rebecca L. Tarwater, Georgia, Confederate Pension Applications, 1879–1960.
• “Summary of the News Throughout Georgia,” The Butler Herald, Butler, Georgia, July 22, 1948.
• “Tailoring,” The Christian Index, Washington, Georgia, January 24, 1845.
• The Last Will of Rebecca L. Tarwater, probated Probate March 6, 1909.
• “‘Uncle’ Nathan Hobbs, 98 Years a Resident of Penfield Passes Away,” The Macon Telegraph, Macon, Georgia, June 6, 1889.
• “Uncle Nathan Hobbs Died in Penfield,” The Atlanta Constitution, June 7, 1889.
• U.S. Federal Census, District 161, Greene County, Georgia, 1850.
• U.S. Federal Census, Greensboro, Greene County, Georgia, 1870.
• U.S. Federal Census, Penfield, Greene County, Georgia, 1860, 1880, 1900.
• Will, Mrs. Rebecca L. Tarwater, probated September 10, 1908.