Happy Birthday, Georgia Faye

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

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, 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 

Wordless Wednesday :: Four Generations

Happy Birthday, Becca Mae

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

 

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 . . .

 

Wordless Wednesday :: Who is she?

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	%
Alabama	31.25
Georgia	12.50
Kentucky	6.25
Maine	18.75
Mississippi	6.25
Texas	12.50
Unknown	12.50

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.

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.

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.

Our Kinfolk on TX Historical Markers

Bell County

Courthouse Marker

(Belton, Texas)

Originally uploaded by

courthouselover

In 1891, Miss Mable Pendleton won a gold medal from the Baylor Historical Society for her essay dealing with the history of Bell County, Texas . . . the following statement is an excerpt from that essay . . .

On July 30th, 1850, Mrs. Matilda F. Allen, nee Connell, conveyed to Bell County out of the Connell League, one hundred and twenty acres of land on which was to be located the permanent county seat of Bell County. It is in this land that Belton is now built. Mrs. Allen was the mother of Mr. John Connell.

This Matilda Connell Allen Allen nee Roberts (1808-1879) is an older sister of Mahala Lee Sharp Hall nee Roberts . . . who is a 3rd-great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog . . . Matilda's name is mentioned on the above historical marker which is located near the Bell County Courthouse in Belton, Texas . . .

Wordless Wednesday :: Robert E. Henry

 

• Robert E. Henry in the U.S. Navy
• Robert E. Henry during World War II
• Robert E. Henry at findagrave

1911 :: Burial of Lizzie J. Brackett

*Is this the Lizzie who was married to Peter Brackett?

On this date in our family history . . . the 28th day of July . . . in the year 1911 . . . Elizabeth J. Brackett nee Merrill is laid to rest in the Laurel Hill Cemetery in Saco, York County, Maine . . . familiarly known as Lizzie, she is an older sister of Phoebe, who is a 2nd great-grandma of the Keeper of this family history blog, AND . . . this Lizzie is the woman who raised Phoebe's daughter (my great-grandma), Eva Mae, as her own child . . .

Biddeford Daily Journal
Friday, July 28, 1911

Service Largely Attended

Funeral of Mrs. Lizzie J. Brackett Was This Afternoon

Funeral services for Mrs. Lizzie J. Brackett were this afternoon at 2 o'clock in her late home on Beach Street, Saco, and were largely attended by relatives and friends. The service was conducted by Rev. H.R. Simonds, pastor of the Advent Christian church, this city, and the singing was by a quartette from the same society.

About the casket were many beautiful flowers, which bore silent testimony to the high esteem in which Mrs. Brackett was held. Among these was a cushion from Mr. and Mrs. T.W.A. Smith, this city, which bore the word "mother." There was also a spray of roses from Mrs. Brackett's little grandson, Thomas W.A. Smith. Besides these there were many other set pieces from the societies to which Mrs. Brackett belonged as well as from relatives and friends.

Interment was at Laurel Hill. The bearers were four members of the Advent church.

Biddeford Daily Journal
Wednesday Evening, July 26, 1911 

DEATH OCCURS AT 70 YEARS

MRS. BRACKETT ILL BUT A FEW HOURS

The death of Mrs. Lizzie J. Brackett, wife of Peter Brackett of Saco, occurred at her home, 74 Beach street, about 5 o'clock Tuesday night at the age of 70 years and four months, after an illness of comparatively a few hours. Mrs. Brackett, who had been one of the most active and interested women in patriotic circles, was stricken with apoplexy Monday, since which time until her death Tuesday evening her condition was most critical.

She was born in Scarboro, and was the daughter of William T. and Olive J. (Goodwin) Merrill, and was the oldest of a family of 11 children. Mrs. Brackett had lived for many years in Biddeford and Saco, where she has been a prominent member of the Pythian Sisterhood, the Golden Cross. She was also a member of the Christian Advent church on Hill street. She was possessed of most generous characteristics and was a friend in time of need.

Besides her husband Mrs. Brackett leaves three brothers, Daniel H., George and Fred of Pine Point, and three sisters, Mrs. Phoebe Tripp of Gorham, Mrs. Nellie Sullivan and Emma Snow of Pine Point. The funeral will be Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the late residence. Relatives and friends invited without further notice.

*The image of the lady in the collage (above) was shared by a cousin in Maine . . . this woman was identified as "Lizzie Merrill" but the cousin is not sure if it is the Lizzie who married Peter Brackett . . . please do contact benotforgot if you are able to positively identify this woman.

Tombstone Tuesday :: Muston Graves

 

Marion Franklin (Frank) Muston (1886/8 - 1955) is a brother of my great-grandpa, Charlie Muston (1882-1915). Frank married Rosa Elizabeth Morrison (1887-1977) in 1907. Their graves are in the Hugh Wilson Cemetery in Tanglewood, Lee County, Texas.

Festival of Postcards :: Old Orchard Beach

This blogpost was prepared as an entry for the 3rd edition of A Festival of Postcards which was hosted by Evelyn Yvonne Theriault. The theme for this edition was Signs, for which we were asked to, "Publish one or more postcards that show actual signs (e.g. road, advertising, storefronts) OR interpret the theme in whatever way you want (e.g. signs of the times)."

My Mom has photos (from the early 1920s) of her mother, Elizabeth Marilla Henry nee Smith (1912-1932), enjoying outings at Old Orchard Beach, and Mom and I spent some time walking that beach ourselves, so I chose to use a postcard from my collection that relates to those family trips. The postcard is captioned, Old Orchard St. and Amusement Center, Old Orchard Beach, Maine, and is featured in the following collage. It was purchased during a trip my Mom and I made to Maine, the home of Mom's maternal ancestors. It was printed by Tichnor Bros., Inc. of Boston, Massachusetts, and is postmarked 1959 from Montreal, Canada. The postage stamp in the upper right corner is one the stamps from the actual postcard. Among the SIGNS on the storefronts facing Old Orchard Street in this image are . . . Hotel White-Hall . . . Bus Station / Boston & Maine . . . a diner advertising Coca Cola & Hamburgers & Frankfurts & Ice Cream . . . and in the far right background is visible the Casino sitting out over the water at the end of the Pier.




John Greenleaf Whittier said that, "They seek for happier shores in vain, who leave the summer isles of Maine." 

While Old Orchard Beach is not one of the many "isles" of Maine's Casco Bay, it has long been considered an isle of escape for more than two century's worth of vacationers. It is said that many Canadians come down for summer vacations, and that it is common to hear conversations in French.

Old Orchard Beach has been promoted as a tourist destination since 1631, when its first settler established a Garden By the Sea. In 1829 the first Public House opened, and in 1837 tourists paid $1.50 each to stay at a local farm. Railroad service between Boston and Portland opened in 1842. Over the years Old Orchard developed into a major resort. Airplanes took off from the beach and auto races were held on the sand. Most of the large hotels were destroyed in the fire of 1907.

From Old Orchard Beach by Daniel E. Blaney . . .

From 1631 to the present, Old Orchard Beach has had a singularly rich history among New England's summer communities. Old Orchard was originally a small seacoast farming community nestled on the shore of Saco Bay. When the railroad came in 1873, the coast exploded into one of the grandest Victorian settings in Maine. It boasted famour religious camp meetings, transatlantic flights, big bands, big fires, harness racing, and automobile racing on the beach. The Kennedy family, Bette Davis, Fred Allen, Rosa and Carmen Ponsell, Pierre Trudeau, and Charles Lindbergh all rejuvenated themselves in this community. Old Orchard Beach is still a vacation mecca, and residents and visitors alike will find enjoyment and education within these pages. . . . The pier was built in 1898. On March 17 of that year, actual construction commenced. The original twin pavilion was short-lived. The grand opening was on July 2. On December 4, the end of the pier was swept away during a northeast gale, only 156 days after opening. The ballroom, at the end, featured every well-known East Coast band. The big band era ended in the 1960s with the advent of rock and roll and record hops. Louis Armstrong was among the last big bands to play on the pier. . . .

1866 :: Death of little Josephine

Were it not for the words her father penned in his Civil War-era Journal, very little (if anything) would be known about the short life of Josephine Martha Hall, who died on this date . . . the 16th day of July . . . in the year 1866 . . . at the age of two years seven months and one day . . .


Little Josephine's Mommy is the sister of my 2nd great-grandpa, Samuel Houston Sharp (ca. 1839-1885), and Josephine's Daddy -- James Madison Hall -- is the stepson of my 3rd-great-grandma, Mahala Lee Sharp Hall nee Roberts (1816-1885). Beginning in January of 1860, J.M. Hall kept a daily journal -- until his own death less than two months following the death of his Josephine. Following are a few excerpts from that journal that pertain to Josephine. 

[FYI -- a short introduction -- throughout his 6+ years of journal-keeping (1860-1866), J.M. Hall always refers to his wife, Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp, as "the little woman" :: "Sam" and "Nellie" are my 2nd great-grandparents :: "Mrs. Beale" is Nellie's mother, and my 3rd-great-grandma :: "Mother" is Mahala . . .]

• 15 Dec 1863. Today Sam and the boys finished the floor in the mill forebay and let down the gates to catch a head of water. The little woman was taken sick and at 11½ o'clock a.m. was delivered of a female child. She may truthfully be said to be a woman of ready conception and easy delivery. there were present Mrs. Bird, Mother, Nellie and myself, assisted by Rachael a negro woman. I sent for Dr. Murchison, who came but as usual too late to be of any service in his profession. . . .
• 17 Dec 1863. . . . Sam rode out hog hunting but had no success. The little woman is doing very well after her confinement. Mother is still here attending to the new responsibility, whom we have this day named Josephine Martha Hall. . . .
• 18 Dec 1863. . . . Sam rode out with Mr. Keen and succeeded in killing 6 hogs which the boys cleaned in the evening. . . . Mr. Keen came up to see the little new responsibility. . . . Mother rode down home and returned with Father in the evening, who came up to see the little stranger. . . .
• 19 Dec 1863. . . . Sam rode out hog hunting but was unsuccessful. he however killed two fine turkeys. Mother is still here. The little woman is improving. . . .
• 20 Dec 1863. Today Father, Mr. & Mrs. Bird came to see the little woman and the little stranger. Mother is still here. . . .
• 21 Dec 1863. . . . I drove my horse (Rob) and buggy to Crockett and back. . . . I purchased one gallon of whiskey for which I paid 80$. 1 oz. of the oil of Sassafras at 5$ per oz. 1 lb. of candy at 3$ I record these prices for the benefit of those that come after me, in order that they may see some of the benefits that war brings upon the Country and people. Sam ground 8½ bushels of corn. Mother went home leaving the little woman and babe all doing well. . . .
• 31 Dec 1863. This morning the ground was covered over two inches deep with snow. Father, Mother and Mr. Thomas Sharp all left, the two former for home, and the latter for the wheat region. Sam & I ground 6 bushels of corn & 10 bushels of wheat. In the evening the boys commenced work after their Christmas holliday. Weather clear and bitter cold. the mill pond being frozen entirely over one inch thick, and it continued to freeze all day even in the sunshine. At night it froze all the little woman's eggs in my room although I kept a large fire in it throughout the entire night. It is decidedly the coldest spell of weather that I have ever experienced in the State of Texas after a residence of 28 years. Thus closes my notes for the month of December and also for the year 1863 just passed and gone and now numbered with the things that were. whether the Almighty will spare me to chronicle the daily events of the incoming year is more than I know but trusting in Him I shall enter upon the pleasing task, which is useful as a reference and may be profitable to those who have an interest in me.
• 3 Jan 1864. . . . I weighed my daughter Josephine who weighed 9½ lbs., rather light compared with the other children.
• 23 May 1864. . . . My daughter Josephine was taken very sick with Cholera Infantum. Mother came up and remained all night. . . .
• 24 May 1864. . . . Mother is still here. Dr. Murchison came to see my daughter Josephine who is still very sick. . . .
• 25 May 1864. . . . Dr. Murchison again came to see Josephine who is still very sick but I think she has a change for the better. Mother is still here. I made a spool frame for the little woman. . . .
• 26 May 1864. . . . Mother left for home. Josephine is improving. I commenced making myself a lounge to sleep on throughout the summer, if permitted to live. Nellie rode down to Mother's. . . .
• 27 May 1864. . . . I am still at work making the lounge. Josephine is still improving. . . .
• 28 May 1864. . . . I finished my lounge. Josephine is still improving and out of danger. . . .
• 29 May 1864. Today I drove down to Mother's in my buggy & carried Florence with me. we remained there for dinner. Josephine is now well. . . .
• 10 Jul 1864. . . . Josephine was taken with fever. . . .
• 12 Jul 1864. Today the boys are engaged hauling some things up to the King house, to which place I have this day moved my family for the residue of the summer on account of their ill health at the mill place. Jimmy is still improving a little, so are all the rest of the sick except Josephine who still has the fever. . . .
• 19 Jul 1864. . . . I loaned Genl. Beavers 40 lbs. of flour and delivered it to his girl Fanny. Josephine has recovered from her illness. . . .
• 25 Jul 1864. . . . I drove my buggy over to Mr. Keen's and got him to . . . put a wrought iron back in my cooking stove. Mother came up and spent the day & took Fanny home with her in the evening. Florence is still sick. Josephine was taken sick with fever.
• 4 Aug 1864. . . . Mother & Mrs. Keen came up and spent the day. Mrs. Keen again drew the thread in the harness & sley of the loom, which the little woman had cut out. Florence & Josephine both had fevers.
• 5 Aug 1864. . . . The little woman wove 2 yds. of cloth. Josephine is sick with fever. Nellie is still down at Mother's. . . .
• 14 Sep 1864. . . . I am at work soldering some old tin vessels for the little woman. . . . a hard wind blowing which prostrated the garden fence in many places, it also blew one of the house doors too and in its passage struck little Josephine on the head, inflicting a severe bruise. . . .
• 15 Dec 1864. . . . I am engaged in making little Major a pair of shoes. Toby came up and remained all night. My daughter Josephine attained the first anniversary of her birth day, being just one year old. . . .
• 25 Dec 1864. Today Sam Sharp & I with the children in the little wagon, Nellie & the little woman in the buggy all drove down to Mother's, where we spent our Christmas. We had a fine dinner & a good egg nogg. We passed the day very pleasantly. Weather cloudy & rather warm.
• 31 Dec 1864. . . . Thus I close my jottings for the month of December and for the year 1864 which has just passed & gone and now numbered with the things that were. Whether the Almighty will spare me to chronicle the daily events of the incoming year is more than poor mortal man can foresee or know but trusting in his goodness I shall enter upon the pleasing task which is meaningful as a book of reference and may hereafter be profitable to those who have an interest in my affairs after I shall have shuffled off this mortal soil and been reaped to the bosom of my ancestors.
• 9 Feb 1865. . . . Hardeman's Brigade that has been camped on the Elkhart for the past 6 or 7 weeks left for Tennessee Colony in Anderson County. The guard stationed at the mill in consequence of the removal of the soldiers were relived from duty in the mill & ordered to join their commands. Pet is still down at her Grand Ma's. Little Josephine is sick and has been for a few days past. . . .
• 24 Jun 1865. . . . The little woman with Fanny Fitzsimmons & Josephine in my buggy drawn by my horse Rob arrived safe and sound in Liberty. Frank Stewart with the little wagon & mules also arrived safe, bringing down in the little wagon Florence and Jimmy also Louisa, Jemima, Conny and Wolf with sundry provisions etc. We all upon the invitation of Col. Jim Wrigley stopped at is house, of course I left John Booth's. The little woman passed my wagon on the road, they having left on the 16th inst. Jemima was taken down at the residence of my old friend Dan Dailey & safely delivered of a female child on the 17th inst. both Mother & child are doing well. . . .
• 30 Jul 1865. . . . The little woman still doing the house work, and has a very poor chance in consequence of the sickness of little Josephine, who still has a fever. . . .
• 31 Dec 1865. . . . Mrs. Beale came over and spent the day. . . . Thus I close my notes for the month of December and for the year 1865 which has just passed and gone and now numbered with the things that were. Whether the almighty will spare me to record the daily events of things passing around me for the incoming year is more than mortal man can know but trusting his goodness and mercy I shall enter upon the pleasing task which to me is useful as a book of reference and may hereafter be profitable to those who have an interest in my affairs....
• 16 Jul 1866. Today about dawn I arrived in Houston and immediately left in an omnibus for the depot of the Texas and New Orleans Rail Road. we left the depot on the train at 9 o'clock a.m. for Liberty. I arrived home at 4 o'clock P.M. just in time to witness the death throes of my sweet little daughter Josephine Martha, who departed this life at 5½ o'clock, and now reposes sweetly upon the bosom of her Savior. She died at the tender age of two years seven months and one day. The neighbours generally came in and bestowed upon my stricken family such consolation as they could under our heavy trial. . . .
• 17 Jul 1866. Today my poor wife is indeed a sorrow stricken and almost heart broken woman for the loss of our sweet little angel Josephine Martha. I performed the last sad rite for her little remains and had them interred in the burial ground at Liberty there to remain until her God shall call her again to meet him in the great day of accounts. My sweet little babe may she rest peacefully in the bosom of her God, and may this sad bereavement be for our future good. . . .
• 18 Jul 1866. Today I drove up town in my buggy and while there paid the funeral expenses of my sweet little angel Josephine Martha which amounted to 55$ in gold. . . . My little woman is still suffering great agony for our sad bereavement. . . . Mrs. Buckley came over and spent the evening with the little woman giving her all the consolation in her power. . . .
• 19 Jul 1866. . . . I paid Dr. Coleman his medical bill for his attention to my sweet little babe. Mrs. Beale and Mrs. Buckley spent the day with the little woman. . . .
• 24 Jul 1866. . . . moved our quarters to the residence of Capt. Peacock who agreed to board my family during their stay in the Island City. I hired a hack and went with the little woman and children down the beach. . . . The little woman purchased a nice little Italian marble monument to be placed over the grave of my sweet little babe Josephine. . . .
• 6 Aug 1866. . . . I received from Galveston by the way of Houston the little monument purchased by the little woman, and to be erected over the grave of my sweet little babe Josephine Martha. . . .
• 10 Aug 1866. . . . Ed. Jones and Grand Ma Gayle arrived on the cars from Houston & Galveston and report the cholera prevailing at the latter city. . .
• 18 Aug 1866. Today I left Liberty on the cars for Houston. . . . I carried with me $4000. in gold. . . . I am sorry to state that I drank too much brandy as medicine to prevent the cholera which is now prevailing in Houston. . . .
• 23 Aug 1866. . . . Roberta is staying over with Grand Ma Gayle as Company for her. . . . Mr. Beard commenced to make a railing to enclose the grave of my sweet little angel Josephine Martha. . . .
• 24 Aug 1866. . . . Roberta is still staying with grand ma Gayle as Company. Mr. Beard is still at work on the railing for little Joe's grave. . . .
• 10 Sep 1866. Today I remained at the warehouse during the forenoon. In the evening I drove up town and while there settled in full with J. D. Skinner up to this date. I also purchased a few articles for the little woman. Capt. Redman returned from his visit to the Country in a state of intoxication, and was rather quarrelsome & abusive. Hicks & Ned are at work getting fire wood. Weather cloudy and hot, with occasional showers of rain. . . . [FINAL entry . . . he dies of cholera on the 12th . . . ]

Tombstone Tuesday :: Governor Hubbard

On the 13th day of July . . . in the year 1901 . . . Richard Bennett Hubbard, Jr. was laid to rest in the Oakwood Cemetery in Smith County, Texas . . . Hubbard is a 2nd great-grandson of Joseph Anthony (1713-1785) and Elizabeth Clark (1722-ca. 1825) . . . who are also 2nd great-grandparents of Josephine Wingfield Henry nee Davis (1842-1899) . . . who is a 2nd great-grandma of the Keeper of this family history blog. . . .

Houston Daily Post, Saturday Morning, July 13, 1901 Tyler, Texas, July12.--This afternoon at 1:10 o'clock, at his residence in this city, Hon. Richard B. Hubbard, ex-governor of Texas, died after an illness of over a month. He had an attack of erysipelas last April which left his constitution in a weakened condition and about a month ago he was stricken with cystitis, which resulted in his death today. His son-in-law and daughter, Ernest H. Griffith and Rhena Hubbard Griffith; his unmarried daughter, Miss Searcy Hubbard, and grandchildren, Richard Hubbard Mansfield and Louis Mansfield, were at his bedside when he passed away. The funeral will take place from the residence of Mrs. and Mrs. Griffith tomorrow afternoon at 4:30 o'clock. While the death of Governor Hubbard was not unexpected, the fact came as a great shock to his home city and county where he had lived for half a century. It is not too much to say that, although Tyler has produced many prominent men at the bar and in politics, Governor Hubbard was the most widely known. He had been a distinguished figure in the State for nearly fifty years and his fame as an orator was not excelled by any Texan living or dead. The bar held a meeting this afternoon and adjourned until tomorrow, when suitable resolutions will be passed in regard to his death.

• Hubbard — Small town and big governor
• Demosthenes of Texas :: Richard Bennett Hubbard, Jr. (1832-1901) 

P.S. The Joseph Anthony and Elizabeth Clark mentioned above are 6th great-grandparents (via their son James) to the Keeper of this family history blog . . . and they are also 7th great-grandparents (via their son, Joseph) of Dana Swier Huff.

Saturday Night with Randy

It's Saturday Night, time for some Genealogy Fun (with Randy Seaver) after your frustrating week of finding phantom ancestors in online family trees and trying to keep up with everybody on Twitter, Facebook and Genealogy Wise. Here is your assignment for this Saturday Night (if you decide to accept it, of course - you can't have fun if you don't try): (1) Let's go time travelling: Decide what year and what place you would love to visit as a time traveller. Who would you like to see in their environment? If you could ask them one question, what would it be? (2) Tell us about it. Write a blog post, or make a comment to this post, or on Facebook, or in Genealogy Wise.

If I could travel . . . to somewhere else in time . . . I would like to go back . . . to 1843 in Texas . . . where General Sam Houston (President of the Republic of Texas) is said to oppose opening negotations on statehood at this time . . .

• IF John M. Sharp is still alive, he and Mahala Lee Roberts have been married about 5 years, and have two children -- Samuel Houston Sharp (about 4 years of age), and 2-year-old Margaret A Sharp -- and they are presumably living in San Augustine County. I want to know John's birth information -- when and where was he born, and who are his parents. He disappears before 1846 . . . and I have not been able to connect him to ANY of the Sharps living around San Augustine during that time period . . . 



• And meanwhile . . . in Liberty County . . . 4-year-old Sam's future wife, Nellie, is born on the 24th day of May in 1843. She is given the name Mary Alexandrien Lemaire. I want to know if her father is indeed the Alexander Lemaire who was the consular agent of France at Liberty in 1843, and who "embarked at Galveston on the brig Amanda for France to look after his affairs" . . . and who "sailed in the brig Amanda in March 1843, and with his vessel was never heard from" . . . and of whom it is written that . . . 

Upon the death of LEMAIRE, the French consul of the town of Liberty, Cramayel chose not to replace him, declaring: "Liberty is only a hamlet in the interior of a region that has no direct commerce with foreign countries. In the surrounding area there are only about thirty French residents, widely scattered, & living in a situation close to destitution." . . .

1861 :: Marriage of Sam & Nellie

On this date in our family history . . . the 11th day of July . . . in the year 1861 . . . Mary Alexandrien "Nellie" Lemaire becomes the bride of Samuel Houston Sharp in Liberty County, Texas . . . as recorded by James Madison Hall on that hot summer's Thursday . . .

Be it remembered & known that Samuel H. Sharp & Miss Mary Alexandrien Lamier, were united together in the bonds of wedlock, & I rather expect at night there was some very sharp shooting took place, this however is only a surmise. Capt. Wrigley & Ed. Jones came in from their camp to attend said wedding, where all passed off pleasantly & agreeably to all in attendance. Weather clear & warm . . .

This Sam & Nellie are the parents of Berta Mary Henry nee Sharp (1873-1955) . . . who is a great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog . . .

• Washington, DC. 11 July 1861. The Senate expells the Senators from Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Texas, plus one from Tennessee. This was a mere formality, since they had already departed for home.
• Manassas, Virginia. 21 July 1861. "Look, there is Jackson standing like a stone wall."
• Washington, DC. 22 July 1861. The House passes the Crittenden Resolution. The same resolution passes the US Senate on the 25th.
• The US Navy begins a blockade of Galveston Harbor in July 1861, but the town remains in Confederate hands for the next 14 months.
• Washington, D.C. July 1861. Mathew Brady and team of 20 aides begin photographic record of Civil War.
• FREE 1861 news from the New York Times

While we have no idea as to whether or not our Sam & Nellie had a wedding cake, the following recipe from an 1841 cookbook is mayhaps similar to one that might have been used if they did indeed have a cake . . .



The American Frugal Housewife
Dedicated to Those who are Not Ashamed of Economy
By Lydia Maria Francis Child: