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Monday, August 31, 2009

Happy Birthday, Georgia Faye




Click > HERE < to read Georgia Faye's story . . . in her own words . . .

Friday, August 21, 2009

Happy Birthday, Uncle George



George Rettig Henry was born on this date . . . the 21st day of August . . . in the year 1897 . . . in Milam County, Texas. He was the 1st-born son of Edgar and Berta Mary (Sharp) Henry . . . the Keeper of this family history blog knew him as "Uncle George" but he was actually a grand-uncle aka older brother of maternal grandpa . . . Uncle George and Aunt Ruth lived sorta catty-cornered behind our house when we were growing up . . . we could walk through the pasture to get to their back door, which was always open . . . Aunt Ruth's coconut pie is frequently requested for family gatherings . . . 


  • George Rettig Henry
    born 21 August 1897 in Milam County, Texas
    died 02 June 1977 in Rockdale, Milam County, Texas
  • Willie Ruth Henry nee Jennings
    born 05 March 1900 in Hill County, Texas
    died 26 February 1980 in Rockdale, Milam County, Texas
     

Their children --  

  • Weldon Lee Henry 
  • Georgia Faye Kaseberg nee Henry

 

Wordless Wednesday :: Happy Birthday


Happy Birthday to my niece, Lesley 

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Happy Birthday, Aunt Nellie

   
On this date in our extended family history . . . the 20th day of August . . . in the year 1912 . . . Nellie Josephine Henry is born in Milam County, Texas. This lovely woman I knew as Aunt Nellie was actually my grand-aunt, i.e., she was the youngest sister of my maternal grandpa, Robert E. Henry (1905-1976). 



Nellie was the 8th of eight children known to have been born to my maternal great-grandparents, Edgar and Berta Mary (Sharp) Henry. She was named for both of her grandmothers -- Mary Alexandrien "Nellie" Sharp nee Lemaire (1843-1876) and Josephine Wingfield Henry nee Davis (1842-1899). 

In 1938, Nellie married Alton Brooks Peebles, who happened to be a 3rd cousin once removed to the man Nellie's niece, Roberta, would marry in 1950. (I do not know whether they ever knew they were related!)
 
  • Nellie Josephine Peebles nee Henry
    born 20 August 1912 in Milam County, Texas
    died 02 November 1996 in Austin, Travis County, Texas
  • Alton Brooks Peebles
    born 17 August 1913 in Lexington, Lee County, Texas
    died 29 July 1991 in Rockdale, Milam County, Texas 




Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Girls and their pearls



"After all," Anne had said to Marilla once,
"I believe the nicest and sweetest days
are not those on which anything
very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens,
but just those that bring simple little pleasures,
following one another softly,
like pearls off a string."

Anne of Avonlea
by
Lucy Maud Montgomery





Girls & their pearls -- Smile for the Camera 



The portrait of the ladies on the right . . . all wearing pearls . . . is of three of the daughters of William Thurston & Olive Jane Merrill . . . Phoebe (1848-ca. 1930) & Nell (1860-ca. 1950) & Lucy Emma (1855-1938) . . . the lady wearing pearls in the photo next to Phoebe is Phoebe's daughter, Eva Mae (1874-1936) . . . the young lady wearing pearls in the lower left corner is Eva's daughter, Elizabeth Marilla (1912-1932) . . . this Elizabeth is the maternal grandma of the Keeper of this family history blog . . .





The Loves of the Angels



Then too the pearl from out its shell
Unsightly, in the sunless sea,
(As 'twere a spirit, forced to dwell
In form unlovely) was set free,
And round the neck of woman threw
A light it lent and borrowed too.

by Thomas Moore





This blogpost was originally composed in 2009 for . . .


Original Smile for the Camera artwork by footnoteMaven 






Wordless Wednesday :: Who is she?






Saturday, August 08, 2009

My Ahnentafel for Saturday Night Genealogy Fun


Randy Seaver's challenge for this evening is to List your 16 great-grandparents in pedigree chart order. List their birth and death years and places. Figure out the dominant ethnicity or nationality of each of them. Calculate your ancestral ethnicity or nationality by adding them up for the 16 - 6.25% for each. So . . . 



When I get mine all figured out (see the chart and ahnentafel below) it does seem that my "dominant ethnicity or nationality" (based on my great-great-grandparents) is . . . American? . . . with a large helping of the South . . . and just a pinch of down Maine (via my maternal grandma and her ancestors). 


One more generation back might take one branch across the big pond to France, but other than that, all known branches have been on American soil for several more generations, before connecting back mostly to England, with a few from France.


One line, Josephine #25, does appear (at this time) to connect waayyy back to the Kings and Queens of England and France and Ireland and Portugal and Scotland and Spain . . . and even if this potential royal connection winds up being untrue, it sure has been an interesting journey through history to look at these characters as potential ancestors, and real people, instead of just boring names on the pages of a history book.







State%
Alabama31.25
Georgia12.50
Kentucky6.25
Maine18.75
Mississippi6.25
Texas12.50
Unknown12.50


This 8.5 x 14 pale green Standard Pedigree Chart (generated by Family Tree Maker) hangs on the bookcase that sits one foot away from my computer perch (not actually a chair, but one of those ergonomic kneeling stool thingies) -- so this version of my ancestor list is always available as a quick reference. And my ahnentafel is on permanent display on one of my other sites (pre-blogspot days) -- gonetotexas.proboards.com. My great-great-grandparents from that ahnentafel (with their actual ahnentafel numbers) --



[16] Joseph W. POUNDERS (c.1822-bef.1880) married before 1867 in Alabama to
[17] Nancy Virilla QUINN (1847-1930)

  • Joseph & Nancy were both born & died in Alabama
  • Joseph's parents -- Lemuel Samuel Pounders & Mary Margery Holcomb -- were born in North Carolina
  • Nancy's father -- John Quinn -- was born in Tennessee & her mother -- Susannah -- in Alabama

[18] Unknown* unknown ? relationship ? in ? Alabama ? to
[19] Sushannah HOLLAND (1841-1930)


  • Sushannah was born in Alabama & died in Texas
  • her father -- Edward Holland -- was born in Tennessee & her mother -- Mary Annie Fretwell -- in Alabama
  • * Great-great-grandpa #18 will probably never be known. The purported father (Isaac Cain) of my great-grandma (the only daughter of Sushannah Holland) appears to have died during the war between the states . . . while "their" daughter appears to have been born in 1873 . . . about 10 years after he died . . . Sushannah drew a confederate pension on the man she claimed was the father of both of her children . . . and it stated that he died during the war (1861-1865).

[20] William Alexander MUSTON (1854-1936) married before 1880 in Texas to
[21] Mary OLIVE (c. 1853-c. 1897)


  • William was born in Alabama & died in Texas
  • Mary was born in Georgia & died in Texas
  • William's father -- William Thomas Muston -- was born in South Carolina & his mother -- Rebecca King -- in Alabama
  • Mary's father -- Littleton Olive -- was born in Georgia & her mother -- Clementine Jordan -- in South Carolina

[22] Joseph Helidorah NETTLES (1832-1890) married 1871 in Texas to
[23] Mary Annie WEST (1852-1939)


  • Joseph was born in Alabama & died in Texas
  • Mary Annie was born in Mississippi & died in Texas
  • Joseph's parents are unidentified at this time
  • Mary Annie's father -- Richard C. West, Jr. -- was born in Kentucky & her mother -- Sarah Mildred Carter -- in Alabama



[24] William Pascal HENRY (1836-1912) married 1864 in Texas to
[25] Josephine Wingfield DAVIS (1842-1899)

  • William was born in Kentucky & died in Texas
  • Josephine was born in Georgia & died in Texas
  • William's parents -- Thomas Henry & Mary Kirtley -- were born & died in Kentucky
  • Josephine's parents -- Milton Grant Davis & America James Fears -- were born in Georgia, where her mother died while her father died in Texas

[26] Samuel Houston SHARP, Sr. (c.1839-c.1885) married 1861 in Texas to
[27] Mary Alexandrien LEMAIRE (1843-1876)

  • Samuel & Mary Alexandrien were born & died in Texas
  • Sam's father -- John M. Sharp -- may have come to Texas from Tennessee
  • Sam's mother -- Mahala Lee Roberts -- was born in Louisiana & died in Texas
  • Mary Alexandrien's mother -- Elizabeth A. Waring -- was born in Maryland & is presumed to have died in Texas
  • Mary Alexandrien's father is believed to have been born in France, & to have died at sea

[28] Atwood F. SMITH (1837-1907) married 1857 in Maine to
[29] Jerusha Marilla BARKER (1841-1899)

  • Atwood & Jerusha were born & died in Maine
  • Atwood's parents -- Hiram B. Smith & Betsey T. Flood -- were born & died in Maine
  • Jerusha's parents -- Timothy Barker & Jerusha Lakin Hobbs -- were born in Maine & are presumed to have died in Maine

[30] Unknown** unknown ? relationship ? in ? Maine ? to
[31] Phoebe MERRILL (1848-aft.1920)

  • Phoebe was born & is presumed to have died in Maine
  • both of Phoebe's parents -- William Thurston Merrill & Olive Jane [Goodwin or Mason] were born & died in Maine
  • ** Great-great-grandpa #30 will probably never be known. It does appear that Phoebe Merrill gave her baby girl, Eva Mae, to her older sister, Lizzie (Merrill) Brackett, to raise as her own.

Friday, August 07, 2009

1789 :: Birth of Milton Antony



On this date in our family history . . . the 7th day of August . . . in the year 1789 . . . another baby boy is born to my 5th great-grand-parents, James and Nancy Ann (Tate) Anthony . . . given the name of Milton, this baby is believed to be the 9th of eleven known children in this family, the 6th of which is my 4th great-grandma, Nancy Tate (Anthony) Davis (1783-1871) . . . besides being a younger brother of great-grandma Nancy, this Milton is also the father-in-law of my 2nd great-grand-aunt Margaret Frances (Davis) Ant(h)ony (1833-1912), who is buried beside her husband, Dr. Milton Ant(h)ony, Jr. (1824-1885), in the Old City Cemetery in Rockdale, Milam County, Texas (my hometown) . . . regarding this Milton, the following is from the History of the Medical College of Georgia . . .



Despite a limited early education, Dr. Milton Antony began to study medicine at age 16 as an apprentice. He took a course in Philadelphia but could not afford to continue and never received a diploma. He began his practice in rural Georgia, and soon built up a large practice. After seven years, he moved to New Orleans for a short while and returned to Augusta in 1819. He became very active professionally and determined to improve the quality of his profession in Georgia. He was a member of the Medical Society of Georgia and with his urging, the Medical Board of Georgia was established which regulated the practice of medicine. In 1828, Dr. Antony, along with three other physicians, founded an academy of medicine to prepare students for further medical studies, soon expanded to become the Medical College of Georgia. He shepherded the building of a permanent home for the new school, which resulted in an impressive Greek Revival building. In 1836, he and his colleague, Dr. Joseph Adams Eve, began the Southern Medical and Surgical Journal to report the medical advances and practices of the South. Besides Dr. Antony's contributions to the profession itself, he was also a fine surgeon, and reported on his bold surgery to remove a portion of a diseased lung by partially removing the fifth and sixth ribs. Dr. Antony enjoyed an excellent reputation both in and outside the state. As the yellow fever epidemic swept through Augusta in 1839, Dr. Antony became one of its victims. He was buried on the grounds of the original Medical College of Georgia building.

Meanwhile, back here in Texas, there is an article about one of Uncle Milton's grandsons available at The Portal to Texas History, which mentions the following . . .



. . . The elder Antony was an eminent member of his profession, being for years editor of the Southern Medical Journal of Augusta and dean of the faculty of the Georgia Medical Journal of Augusta, of which he was one of the founders. He died in 1839, of yellow fever, making his life the last offering to a profession which he had long adorned. He left a scholarship to each of his sons in the institution with which he was connected, six of whom availed themselves of the privilege and became regular practicing physicians. . . .

Lewis Publishing Company, publisher.. History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties : containing a concise history of the state, with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named counties, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families. Chicago. The Portal to Texas History. http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth29785/. Accessed August 7, 2009.






The above postcard collage -- highlighting a postcard showing the Medical College of Georgia -- was originally posted for the 7th of August 2009 edition of Postcard Friendship Friday which was hosted weekly by Marie Reed.








P.S. Click on this image (originally uploaded at flicker.com by National Register) to read more about the Old Medical College.


Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Tombstone Tuesday :: King Henry I of France



On (or about) this date in history . . . the 4th day of August . . . in the year 1060 . . . King Henry I of France dies in France, and is laid to rest at the basilica of Saint Denis, now located in a northern suburb of Paris

This King Henry is currently believed to be a 26th great-grandpa of our Josephine (1842-1899), who is a 2nd great-grandma to the Keeper of this blog. 

St-Denis Basilica houses the remains of kings, queens and royal children, as well as those of leading personalities who served the French court. It is possible to date most monuments simply from their appearance, thus they serve as a chronological chart of French funeral art through the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance. Up to the Renaissance, the only sculpture to adorn tombs was in the form of recumbent figures. . . . Around 1260 St. Louis commissioned a series of effigies of all the rulers who had preceded him since the 7th century. The figures were mere allegories but they provide a telling example of how royalty was portrayed towards the mid-13th century. . . .

P.S. If you have not read Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth, I highly recommend it if you are interested in reading a historical novel that just happens to tell how the early Gothic cathedrals might have been constructed. 




Sunday, August 02, 2009

1842 Wedding Date for Felix & Elizabeth



On this date in our extended family history . . . the 2nd day of August . . . in the year 1842 . . . Felix Grundy Roberts (1818-1901) marries Elizabeth K. Layton (1826-1894) in Kentucky. 

This Felix is the younger brother of my 3rd great-grandma, Mahala Lee Sharp Hall nee Roberts (1816-1885). These photos of Felix and Elizabeth were shared by their 2nd great-grandson (and my 4th cousin once removed), Gary Rash, who received them from his mother, Margaret Ruth (Roberts) Rash.



Copyright © 2001 BeNotForgot.com. All rights reserved.