Mam-ma's Southern Family

On this day, February 29, I found four leap year births in my family tree. Family Events 1828 - Birth: Ann Jemima Coor-877, Copiah Co, Mississippi, USA 1868 - Birth: Eunice Belle Sabin-3861, Cedar Falls, Black Hawk Co, Iowa, USA 1868 - Birth: Linnie Sarah Gorrell-205, Cooper Co, Missouri, USA 1884 - Birth: Frank W. Hork-342, Muskegon, Muskegon Co, Michigan, USA First One Has Conflicts The first one listed above was on my mother’s side, a third great-aunt, Ann Jemima Coor . According to my genealogy database, she was born 29 February 1828 in Copiah County, Mississippi to John Coor and Ann Kethley as the fifth known child and the sister of my third great-grandfather, James Madison Coor. James and Ann married brothers and sisters Dempsey P. and Melissa Ann Welch. I wrote about Ann and Dempsey’s marriage here . The problem with the above date, the source is a cemetery index book that only lists the birth and death years for both Dempsey P and Ann J Welch. [1] Wh...

As I think about my grandmother on her birthday, I remember that she had been so active with sports after my grandfather died and after she retired from working. She played tennis with friends and bowled in a league. Often when I visited she had tennis matches on the television. She attended many women's tennis matches held at the Oakland Coliseum. I can't remember if I ever played with her. I was so busy with work at the time. Here is a photo of her and her friend, Evelyn at a local tennis court in Pleasanton in 1985. She was 72 years old! I hope I'm still that fit. Copyright © 2017 by Lisa Suzanne Gorrell, Mam-ma's Southern Family

My maternal grandfather, Tom J. Johnston, Jr. passed away on  11 July 1973.  He was only sixty years old. He died of cor pulmonale due to advanced pulmonary emphysema. [1] He had been a life-long smoker. He was survived by his wife, Pansy L. Johnston, his daughter, Lela Nell Hork, his sisters, Beryl Russell and Mildred Bay, and six grandchildren. [2] Tom had been a member of the Carpenter’s Union and worked at Diablo Valley Community College. His funeral was held at Oak Park Hills Chapel in Walnut Creek and he was buried at Oakmont Memorial Cemetery in Lafayette. [3] His was the first funeral I attended. I was 19. At the funeral home, the casket was open when we got there and I was surprised by how peaceful he looked. I had been a bit afraid of him because he always sounded so gruff when he spoke. Though, when he spoke to his dogs, he was very sweet. Today, I thought I’d share a few photos of Tom and his dogs. [1] State of Cal...

My maternal fourth great-grandfather, Nathaniel H. Osborne Polly is one of my brick walls. I have written a little about him before when I wrote about his wife, Lydia in this post . I know a little about his life but not who his parents were. His tombstone photo shows a birth date of January 27, 1820. [1] According to the Find-a-Grave memorial for him, he was a “medical doctor, a Judge, a farmer and a gospel minister.”  That’s a lot of occupations. Let’s look at what I know from records I have found. In 1850, he was listed as a “C. Bap. Minister” living in Dallas County, Texas. [2] The “C” might stand for Christian. The Bap. is probably for “Baptist” and the minister is clear. From most of the records I have found on him, he was a minister. In 1860, he and his family were living in Montague County, Texas. The occupation on the census was listed as “M.D.” [3] I can see where the creator of the Find of Grave memorial might think that he was a medical doctor. This M...

One hundred and twenty-three years ago, my maternal great-grandfather, George Warren Lancaster was born, 19 January 1893. [1] His parents were William Carlton Lancaster and Martha Jane Coor. George was the eldest of six children. His delayed birth certificate, dated  6 July 1942 and signed by his father, William C Lancaster, stated he was born in Victor, Erath County, Texas. According to The Handbook of Texas , Victor was settled shortly after the Civil War and was located in western Erath County on Farm Road 2156 a mile south of Desdemona. During the 1890s there were general stores and a post office that was later discontinued in 1907. [2] Here is a satellite map of the area today. All that is left is the Victor Cemetery which is located at the corner of roads 2156 and 357. As you can see, it is clearly farming country and George’s father, William was a farmer. Victor was in the area of Roads 2156 & 357. According to his World War I Draft card, he stated...

Elizabeth Rebecca Young was born 8 Jan 1804 [1] to unknown parents. According to the 1850 census in Copiah County, Mississippi, Elizabeth was born in Georgia. [2] She married Dempsey Welch on 21 January 1821 in Clarke County, Alabama. [3]    Their daughter, Melissa Ann Welch, was my fourth-great-grandmother, who married James Madison Coor. 1821 Marriage of Dempsey Welch & Elizabeth Young, Clarke Co AL I have thirteen children born to the couple with six of them dying as young children and seven living to adulthood. This information came from the book Welch Family  compiled by Mary Helen Sims. As I review the page about Dempsey and Elizabeth, it does give the name of her mother as "Elizabeth Young, daughter of Col. James Welch, brother of A. Dempsey" Welch. The information might have come from a Family Bible.   Elizabeth died 1 Jul 1852 in Copiah County, Mississippi and was buried at the Welch Plantation Cemetery. The tombstones were read and...

On 16 November 1847, Dempsey P. Welch and Ann Jemima Coor were married. [1]   Two days earlier, Dempsey, along with D.K. Coor, his surety, applied for the marriage bond. D.K. Coor was probably Daniel K. Coor, Ann’s older brother. Their ages were not listed, nor the part for parents to give permission was filled out, so the couple was of age to marry. The clerk probably filled out the complete form as the signature line for DP Welch and DK Coor looks alike. Dempsey’s name was listed as BP Welch all through the document. Bond. Copiah Co., Mississippi, Welch-Coor, 1847 On the next day, the marriage license was issued by the Probate Court Clerk. License.  Copiah Co., Mississippi, Welch-Coor, 1847 Finally on the 16th, the Justice of the Peace, James A. Sturgis, married the couple. Certificate of Marriage.  Copiah Co., Mississippi, Welch-Coor, 1847 Dempsey P. was born 11 May 1822 in Mississippi to Dempsey Welch and Elizabeth Rebecca Young. Ann Jemima was ...

This is a story of a short life. Thomas W. Jones was born probably in Hill County, Texas on 15 November 1883. [1] His parents were Thomas W. Jones and Nancy A. Huff. His grandparents were Benjamin W. Jones and Amanda A. Haley, my third great-grandparents. So that would make Thomas my first cousin three times removed. Thomas had a sister, Amanda E. Jones who was born just a few years earlier in March 1880. [2] The only record of little Thomas is a tombstone in Vaughan Cemetery in Hill County, Texas. [3] Vaughan Cemetery in Hill County, Texas, showing Thomas W. Jones, son of T.W. and N.A. Jones; Find-a-grave.com, photo taken by Doreen Morelli. This poor tombstone is broken and the death date cannot be made out clearly from the photo. However, on the Hill County, Texas webpage, someone had made a transcription of the cemetery and the death date was listed as 1 February 1885. [4] Perhaps the recording was done before the stone was broken. His mother, Nancy would...

Eliza Kirby was born in Faulkner County, Arkansas on 12 November 1876 to Robert R. Kirby and Sarah Cathrine Howard. [1] She had two brothers and four sisters; all four sisters died in infancy. In 1880, the family was living in Hardin Township in Faulkner County. [2] Their household included her grandmother, Francis Howard and an aunt, Eliza Hinsley. Is it possible she was named after this aunt? When Eliza was just seven years old, her father died in 1883. [3]   Her mother remarried 23 Oct 1887 to James J. Robinson. [4] Eliza married George Alonzo “Lon” Loveless on 20 Jan 1898. [5] They were both of 21 years of age and living in Linder, a community in Faulkner County. P.H. Glover, the minister at the Greenbrier Baptist Church married them. Faulkner County, Arkansas, marriage between GL Loveless and Eliza Kirby  Lon and Eliza had three children, all who grew to adulthood and married: Doyle Elbin Loveless Meda Orthal Lovelss Gladys Loveless Lon purcha...

Luther Edwin Johnston was born on 17 Jan 1918 in Comanche County, Texas. [1] His parents were Thomas Newton Johnston and Nell Hutson. His birth record has no first name listed. Luther was called "Toofer" by family and friends. Not named Johnston, son of Tom Johnston & Nell Hutson When Toofer was just 18 months old, his mother died. At the time of her death, their were five children under the age of 10. Because he was so young, he was raised for a few years by his uncle, Robert and his wife, Vesta. Toofer served in the Army during World War II and later came to California to live. He died 1 Oct 1970 at the Veterans Hospital in Martinez. Here is a shot of Toofer with me, probably 1955. ----- [1] "Comanche Co Records 1858-1955," Familysearch.org,  Birth v. 4 1917-1924, no. 32, Not named Johnston,  p 9. Copyright © 2014 by Lisa Suzanne Gorrell, Mam-ma's Southern Family

Terry Loveless and America Allen were married 157 years ago today on 4 Jan 1855 in Cass County, Georgia which is now Bartow County. [1] Terry was the oldest son of Jesse Loveless and Elizabeth Nixon, born in South Carolina.  America was the daughter of James Allen and Temperance McGregor, born in Tennessee. Terry was my second great-granduncle. Cass Co, Georgia marriage record for Terry Loveless & America Allen 4 Jan 1855 Transcription: State of Georgia } To any ordained Minister of the Gospel, Judge of the Cass County      } Superior Court, Justice of the Inferior Court, or Justice of the Peace, You are hereby authorized to join Terry Loveless and America Allen in lawful bonds of matrimony, agreeable to the constitution and laws of this State. Given under my hand and Seal of office, this 4th day of January, 1855                                      ...