At work I live by my "things to do" list. It is always on my desk or in my calendar book. Without the list, deadlines would not be met! So, tonight I decided I needed to make a genealogy "to do" list.
1. Stella, Jim's mother- continue the search for more information concerning her birth and early years before and during her stay at the vocational school.
2. George, my ggg-grandfather- to uncover more about his immigration to the United States and his time as an indentured servant.
3. Sesquicentennial Civil War- to research my family's soldiers' role in the Civil War.
4.Family history books- get all loose papers together in the correct book.
I love to work from lists and I hope this list will keep me motivated!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
George is back in the ground!
I didn't accompany my cousin, Windie, and her husband Saturday to the Cross Bridges Cemetery, and I really hate it. They re-erected our great, great grandfather's headstone in a new concrete base. The original headstone was broken and Windie's husband had reattached the pieces with adhesive and added a metal band around the outer edge.
Hopefully, I will get to the cemetery by Easter weekend and post the new photos.
Hopefully, I will get to the cemetery by Easter weekend and post the new photos.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Got to love those old photographs
I just love it when things come together. Recently, Jim and I visited his sister in Fairview to pick up turn of the century photographs of his grandmother and his great aunt. The aunt's photo is in the original frame and in good shape, but his grandmother's picture has a slight tear and a little faded. Nonetheless, we are tickled to have him.
Besides the two photographs, we were given a slew of old photos with names written on the back! Woohoo! Unfortunately, most of the names meant little to us. There were several photograph postcards in the mix. The cards did not have any names listed on the back and apparently were not mailed as a postcard..The baby pictures are my favorite.
Besides the two photographs, we were given a slew of old photos with names written on the back! Woohoo! Unfortunately, most of the names meant little to us. There were several photograph postcards in the mix. The cards did not have any names listed on the back and apparently were not mailed as a postcard..The baby pictures are my favorite.
In addition to the photos, a single typewritten sheet of paper labeled “Anderson Family” was in the bag. It was very confusing to follow, but it gave a clearer picture of the members of the Anderson family.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Stella's Roots, Part 5
Just yesterday we were throwing our hands up in the air ready to quit and then today Jim remembered we were housing several tubs of his mother's things in his shop. After a quick sling fest, we found six letters from two different women. The writers were Berlie, and Annie. Immediately, Jim knew Annie was the half sister, and Berlie was the sister-in-law. He recalled Allie Mae telling his mother she had a sister in Michigan and two brothers in Chattanooga.
Are you confused yet? Keep in my mind Allie Mae Machen Nowlin told Stella they shared the same father but not the same mother. The above mentioned sister and brothers were Goins, the children by her mother. Both my husband and I feel strongly after reviewing the census information and snippets he recalled as a child, Stella's mother was Fanny Goins. Well, one of the letters we found today supported our theory.
In a 1971 letter from Berlie, the sister-in-law, it was stated Fannie was Stella's mother. Berlie's source was someone named Bruce. We haven't confirmed the names of the Goins brothers, but assumed Bruce was Berlie's husband. To add to the confusion, in one letter Berlie made reference to Bruce going to school as if he was a son. We hope there were two Bruces-the father and the son.
On the 1920 census William, Paul, Nellie A. and Bee M. were listed as the children of Fannie Goins. We have requested a copy of Berlie's obituary. Hopefully, it will shed light on which Goin brother Berlie married as well as the names of their children.
Are you confused yet? Keep in my mind Allie Mae Machen Nowlin told Stella they shared the same father but not the same mother. The above mentioned sister and brothers were Goins, the children by her mother. Both my husband and I feel strongly after reviewing the census information and snippets he recalled as a child, Stella's mother was Fanny Goins. Well, one of the letters we found today supported our theory.
In a 1971 letter from Berlie, the sister-in-law, it was stated Fannie was Stella's mother. Berlie's source was someone named Bruce. We haven't confirmed the names of the Goins brothers, but assumed Bruce was Berlie's husband. To add to the confusion, in one letter Berlie made reference to Bruce going to school as if he was a son. We hope there were two Bruces-the father and the son.
On the 1920 census William, Paul, Nellie A. and Bee M. were listed as the children of Fannie Goins. We have requested a copy of Berlie's obituary. Hopefully, it will shed light on which Goin brother Berlie married as well as the names of their children.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Stella's Roots, Part 4
Wow! It has been awhile since my last entry. Unfortunately, the trip to the archives did not occur until this week, and it did not reveal any new light to Stella's past. No records for the Tennessee Vocational School for Girls exist at the state archives. One of the librarians suggested calling the Department of Corrections. My husband made the call and was told the records were most likely destroyed.
In addition to the trip to the state archives, we traveled to Jackson County, Alabama, most likely the birthplace of Stella, and struck out again. The public library was no help. We paid $15 to the great state of Alabama to run a birth certificate search. No certificate existed for Stella which wasn't a surprise.
The likelihood of finding out who Stella's parents were may never be solved, but we will continue to search. Who knows, we might get lucky!
In addition to the trip to the state archives, we traveled to Jackson County, Alabama, most likely the birthplace of Stella, and struck out again. The public library was no help. We paid $15 to the great state of Alabama to run a birth certificate search. No certificate existed for Stella which wasn't a surprise.
The likelihood of finding out who Stella's parents were may never be solved, but we will continue to search. Who knows, we might get lucky!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Stella's Roots- Part 3
After arriving home from our trip to the Winchester area, Jim and I started an online search on the Machen family. In Allie Mae's obituary Willis and Sallie (Sargent) Machen were listed as her parents. It took awhile, but we finally found them.
Willis and Sallie were married on October 23, 1893 in Jackson County, Alabama. On the 1900 census Willis and Sallie were living in Hollywood, Jackson County, Alabama along with Lucille (5) and Lovey (65). Lovey was Willis' mother.
By the 1910 census Willis (43) and Sallie had four children. One of which was Allie Mae who was one year old. They were still living in Hollywood. On the 1920 census their last name was spelled Matchen. Willis (52), Sallie (48) and Allie M.(11) were the only ones in the household. Once again they were living in Hollywood.
When reviewing the actual 1920 census there was a Goins family listed directly above them. Fanny Goins (29) was listed as a widow with four children: William (11), Paul (9), Nellie A.(7) and Bee M. (5). In the previous census Fannie's husband was Marlin L. Goins.
Since Stella was born in 1920, the search for her has been more difficult. If Allie Mae's story of her and Stella having the same father is true then Willis Machen is our guy. As for the mother, who knows. Jim thinks the Goins family on the census is not coincidental. He made some good points about the possibility of this woman being Stella's mother, but without proof, I cannot fully buy into his new theory.
A trip to the state archives is planned for this week. Neither one of us is holding out for full disclosure of Stella's parents, but maybe a few clues to keep us going.
Willis and Sallie were married on October 23, 1893 in Jackson County, Alabama. On the 1900 census Willis and Sallie were living in Hollywood, Jackson County, Alabama along with Lucille (5) and Lovey (65). Lovey was Willis' mother.
By the 1910 census Willis (43) and Sallie had four children. One of which was Allie Mae who was one year old. They were still living in Hollywood. On the 1920 census their last name was spelled Matchen. Willis (52), Sallie (48) and Allie M.(11) were the only ones in the household. Once again they were living in Hollywood.
When reviewing the actual 1920 census there was a Goins family listed directly above them. Fanny Goins (29) was listed as a widow with four children: William (11), Paul (9), Nellie A.(7) and Bee M. (5). In the previous census Fannie's husband was Marlin L. Goins.
Since Stella was born in 1920, the search for her has been more difficult. If Allie Mae's story of her and Stella having the same father is true then Willis Machen is our guy. As for the mother, who knows. Jim thinks the Goins family on the census is not coincidental. He made some good points about the possibility of this woman being Stella's mother, but without proof, I cannot fully buy into his new theory.
A trip to the state archives is planned for this week. Neither one of us is holding out for full disclosure of Stella's parents, but maybe a few clues to keep us going.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Stella's Roots - Part 2
Jim and I traveled to Franklin and Coffee County. Our first stop was the public library in Winchester. We obtained a copy of Allie Mae Nolen Kirk's obituary. Allie Mae was reportedly Stella's half sister. Willis and Sallie (Sargent) Machen were listed as her parents. I had hoped her parents would be Goins but no such luck. The in-house genealogist was a little overwhelmed with our questions about the local girls school, the Francis family of Cowan and the local record keeping, so she recommended a visit to the county archives to consult with Judy Phillips.
Ms. Phillips was very helpful. When we mentioned the school Stella attended, she immediately called it by name, Tullahoma Vocational School for Girls. She once had a friend whose mother had been at the school and in later years, found the school records in a barn in Nashville. After a phone call, Ms. Phillips felt certain the records were now housed at the state library in Nashville.
After learning Jim's mother could have been a Goins, she shared an interesting tidbit about the last name. Goins is a Melungeon-associated surname that represents multiracial descendants. We found the discussion very interesting regardless whether Stella turns out to be a Goins or not. Hopefully, the records at the state library will aid in the search for Stella's heritage.
Ms. Phillips was very helpful. When we mentioned the school Stella attended, she immediately called it by name, Tullahoma Vocational School for Girls. She once had a friend whose mother had been at the school and in later years, found the school records in a barn in Nashville. After a phone call, Ms. Phillips felt certain the records were now housed at the state library in Nashville.
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| Two of three original buildings for the vocational school. |
After learning Jim's mother could have been a Goins, she shared an interesting tidbit about the last name. Goins is a Melungeon-associated surname that represents multiracial descendants. We found the discussion very interesting regardless whether Stella turns out to be a Goins or not. Hopefully, the records at the state library will aid in the search for Stella's heritage.
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