Stalls Family – Page 3 – Digging Up Your Family

Will Knoles

Before I get started on Will Knoles I just want to put out there that I cannot verify that all of these records are the same person. I also can’t verify that all of these records pertain to the person my granddaddy, James Paul Stalls, Jr (1917-1987) viewed as a father figure. That said, tracking African American families can be a very difficult task. Due to social views of the times it appears that it was not as important to document our African American citizens. So what follows is what I have found and what I know.

On the 1910 Memphis, Tennessee census Will Knoles is found living with the Richards family. He is documented as Black, age 22 years, born in Alabama. His occupation is servant. He is single. It says that his parents were both born in the United States, but it doesn’t give an exact location. I don’t know if this means that he didn’t know, or the enumerator didn’t care. Will is able to read and write. He is working on his own account. He had been out of work for 8 weeks in 1909.

With that information I can only assume that the “Old Will” my granddaddy spoke about so fondly is Will Knoles. Of course, if it is, then we can’t figure out why my granddaddy would refer to him as “old” being that he was only 29-30 years older than granddaddy (unless, as my mother pointed out, any adult was seen as old…and of course, the older Granddaddy became the older Will would get, too!). I also can’t figure out where he was living when my granddaddy was small since he is not found on the 1920 census (but then of course, neither is my granddaddy! Maybe they were off together somewhere!).

When searching for Will Knoles born in Alabama about 1887/1888 I find a 1900 census record enumerated in Girard, Russell County, Alabama. On this census “Willie” Knoles is 13 years old and living with his grandparents, Frankney Knoles(66 years), a day laborer, and Axie Knoles(57 years) and his siblings, Charlie Knoles (10 years), Alburta Knoles (8 years) and Lewsile Knoles (6 years). Interestingly enough living next door to them are “Pe Ke” Knoles and Sallie Knoles. I suspect that “Pe Ke” is Willie’s uncle, Frankney and Axie’s son. Axie is listed as being the mother of two children, one of whom is still living.

The only other record I can find of this family is in 1910 in Girard, Russell County, Alabama. The family, now listed as “Knowles”, consisted of head-of-household “Frank”(79 years, now widowed), son “PK” (32 years, also widowed), grandson Charlie (19 years), granddaughter Alberta ( 18 years) and granddaughter Jennie (16 years).

So, back to Will.

The next time I am able find anything for Will Knoles is a WWI Draft Registration Card, signed in 1917 (the year my granddaddy was born). The information provided on this document is: his name is Will Knoles, age 28, and he lives at 519 Edith Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee. His birthday is September 15, 1889 (which is a reason I question the 1900 census as being him seeing as it gives a birthdate of May 1887-unless his grandparents just didn’t know). He is shown as a “natural born” citizen and it shows his place of birth as Memphis, Tennessee (again, raising questions since the 1910 census says he was born in Alabama). He works as a concrete finisher for James Perryman. He is married with a wife, children and brother that are solely dependent on him for support. He is shown as “negro” and has not served in the military, nor is he exempt from draft. He is 5’2 and of medium build with dark hair, dark eyes and he is not bald. It doesn’t actually say if he has all of his appendages, but we will assume he does.

So, is this the same “Old Will”?

The only other record I can find for any Will Knoles born around 1887-1889 in Alabama listed as “Black” is the 1930 census enumerated in Miami, Florida. This man is listed as “William Knowles” and it says that he was 34 years old the first time he was married. I don’t believe that this is our guy at all, but strange that he is the only other person with a similar name, date of birth and place of birth as who I am looking for.

So what ever happened to “Old Will”? Where are his descendants? Granddaddy used to follow him around everywhere he went. He taught him how to catch birds with a box, a stick and a string. Granddaddy’s grandmother, Minnie, would have “Old Will” catch birds in the yard for her to cook. They used to hunt rabbits on the land around what is now Graceland.

I will keep looking for him and his family. I hope I can find them.

Minnie DeMumbrie

On May 13, 1858 Minnie DeMumbrie was born in Mississippi, most likely in Tunica, to (John) Spencer DeMumbrie (1821-?)and Cornelia A McMillan (1833-before 1870). She was the granddaughter of Jean Baptiste DeMonbreun (1788-1872) and the great-granddaughter of Timothy Demonbreun (Jacques-Timothée Boucher, Sieur de Montbrun) (1747-1826), the man considered the “first citizen of Nashville”.

On the 1860 census in Tunica, Mississippi she is 2 years old and living with her parents on a plantation (value of the real estate was $10,000 and the value of the personal estate was $6000). Her father is listed as “S. DeMumbrie”, a farmer, her mother is listed “C.A. DeMumbrie”. Minnie is listed as “C.A.M. DeMumbrie”. I read my aunt’s post on a genealogy forum that the full name of Minnie’s mother was Cornelia Ann Minerva McMillan. If so Minnie may have been named after her and “Minnie” may have been a nickname. Their neighbors in 1860 were the Owens family and the Roberts family.

In 1870 Minnie (listed as “Clara”) age 13, is living in Tunica, Mississippi with her father, who by now is widowed and listed as a “planter”, and three other people. Jane (Gilcris?) is one member of the household that, at some point, married Spencer. I believe Mary McMillan, listed as a housekeeper, is Minnie’s maternal grandmother. The third person is Ellen Johnson. I haven’t quite figured out how she is related to the family yet. She is listed as 60 years old and no occupation. The DeMumbrie’s neighbors are the Johnson family and the Richard’s family. Included in the Richards family is Jerome Richards, age 14-Minnie’s future husband.

By 1880 Minnie had married Jerome E Richards. The Tunica, Mississippi census for that year shows that she is listed as “C.A. Richards” and she is living with Jerome (a farmer), her son JE (Jerome Jr-Eddie), MH McMillan (her maternal grandmother again, I believe), and three others listed as farm laborers and a servant, or boarders: JA Matthews, Ellis Sholly and Barbara Shipp. Their neighbors are the Bullock family and, if I am reading it correctly, the Shearings family.

There is, of course, no record of the family for 1890.

In 1900 the Richards are living in Memphis, Tennessee. Jerome, by now the Chief of Police for the City of Memphis, and Minnie have five children: Eddie (Jerome Jr), Claud E, Bluford (Napoleon), Clegg, and Minnie (Virginia). Also living in the household are Frank Macon, John Smith and George Smith, who are all three listed as servants. This census also tells us that Minnie is the mother of six children, five of whom are living. The sixth child was George Richards, born in 1892 and died in 1894, no further information on him (buried in Forest Hill Cemetery, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee). The neighbors of the Richards family were the Kean family and the Piaggo family.

In 1905, on December 4th, Minnie watched in horror as her son, Claud E, shot himself in the parlor of their home. She held him in her arms as he lay dying.

The year 1910 leaves Minnie living with her husband Jerome, now a criminal court clerk, Bluford, Clegg, Minnie Virginia, cousin Dick Richards and servant, Will Knoles (post about him to come soon!). This census, too, was enumerated in Memphis, Tennessee. Their neighbors were the Borner family (if I am reading it correctly) and Old Widow Hall (Jane Hall).

By 1920 Minnie, now reported at age 61 and still residing in Memphis, Tennessee, is living with husband Jerome, son-in-law James Paul Stalls, Sr, daughter Minnie Virginia, son Bluford Napoleon, daughter-in-law Willie D and Nannie Taylor, servant/nanny. Oddly enough James Paul Stalls, Jr, Minnie’s grandson, who would have been 3 years old in 1920, isn’t on the census with them. I wonder where he was? The families that were their neighbors were the Borners and the Maingaults.

I found a property record that shows that Minnie sold a tract of land to a Nannie Brown on January 15, 1927. I can’t quite make out the record, but here is what I was able to get from it:

The _____ 33 1/3 feet of dist Eight, Block “B” of Stephens Subdivision beginning in _____ side of Wicks (Ave?) __5 1/2 feet _____ of H____ road. Hence _____ with Wick’s Avenue _____, 33 1/3 feet. Hence _____ 136 ?/10 feet to use _____; Hence _____ with said _____, 33 1/? feet; Hence northbound 136 8/10 feet to the point of beginning.

I will need to do more research, but I think that this Nannie Brown might be the nanny, Nannie Taylor, listed in the 1920 census with the family.

Minnie DeMumbrie passed away at 8:35pm on November 6, 1928 in Memphis, Tennessee. The cause of death was myocarditis, which, according to the death certificate, she suffered from for 2 years.

Minnie DeMumbrie is buried in Forest Hill Cemetery Midtown, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee.

One story that my mother can remember her father telling her about Minnie: Granddaddy referred to Minnie as his “French Grandmother” and he told of how she would have Will Knoles trap birds (sparrows and such) in the yard. He said that she would keep the little dead yard bird bodies in the ice box. Apparently when he would eat chicken it reminded him of those little birds!

James Paul Stalls, Sr

Though the death certificate, and obituary, for James Paul Stalls, Sr says he was born in Obion, Tennessee, no proof has yet been found confirming that. In fact, Obion County Historical Society has no record at all of his parents, James Franklin Stalls (1857-1889) and Mary J “Annie” Bondurant (1867-1950), or him ever being in Obion or Obion County (though according to his father’s marriage bond and obituary, that’s where James Franklin Stalls was “from”). And census records report that he was born in Kentucky. What we do know for certain about the birth of J. Paul is that it occurred on June 12, 1889. Six months and 7 days after his birth his father passed away due to pneumonia.

When J. Paul was 3 years old he moved to Memphis, Tennessee with his mother and his grandmother, Elizabeth Francis “Betty” “Fannie” Brewer (1845-1922) (widow of James M Bondurant (1842-1886)). On the 1900 census he is living with his mother, who ran a boarding house. By 1910 his mother had remarried to Frank A Curtius and they were living with Annie’s mother, who was running a boarding house. J. Paul’s occupation was Professor of Music.

He married Minnie Virginia Richards July 27, 1914. It was a large affair, including a write up in the Commercial Appeal concerning the musical playlist, performed by Enoch Walton (organist), Mrs. CW Parke (soprano) and Mrs. SH Lambert (violinist). In 1917 his son, James Paul Stalls, Jr (1917-1987), was born.

In the 1920 the census J. Paul is living with his bride, her parents, two of her brothers, a sister-in-law and Nan, the nannie. Oddly enough, though, his son isn’t listed on that census.

J. Paul’s WWI Draft Registration Card says that he is of medium height, medium build, blond hair, blue eyes, is not bald and has all of his appendages.

In 1921 he opened the J. Paul Stalls Studio at Third and Jefferson in Memphis, Tennessee. He later moved his school into his home and continued teaching for many years, even after he was bedridden. His students would be in the other room and he would know which one made a mistake and call out to them.

J. Paul and Minnie divorced August 10, 1926. He married Evelyn Mozelle Fitzgerald (1905-1994), a music teacher, in 1928. They appear on the 1930 census together living with his mother and stepfather.

James Paul Stalls, Sr died on January 21, 1951 in Memphis, Tennessee from broncho pneumonia due to Parkinson’s Disease. He had a Masonic funeral and was interred in Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee. In his will he left all but one dollar to his wife, Evelyn.

J. Paul had quite an impressive list of accomplishments under his belt. He was an organist and pianist and he taught organ, piano and violin. He was associated with all music events that occurred in Memphis. He was the organist and choir director for McLemore Avenue Christian Church, Idlewild Presbyterian Church and Christian Science Church, all in Memphis. He studied piano under Mrs. ET Tobey of Memphis and was a pupil of R Jefferson Hall of Memphis, studying organ and harmony. He completed his formal education over the course of six summers in Chautauqua, New York under Mr. William H Sherwood.

J. Paul had also been a member, registrar and examiner of Tri-State Musical Examining Board. He was a member and former president of the Memphis Federation of Musicians and former dean of the Tennessee Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, and he was also a member of the Beethoven Club.

A Scottish Rite Mason, he was a member of the Leila Scott Lodge and he was a Shriner.

In hopes of alleviating the symptoms from his Parkinson’s Disease, J. Paul joined the Christian Science Church. He was, at one time, at a Christian Science asylum for treatment of the disease and one of the treatments was to eat peels from the fruits and vegetables. From my mother: “Presumably at the Christian Science Church he would sit in the organ loft in his wheel chair, perhaps to oversee the organist. The organist was particularly concerned about one particular piece to be played, so JPS was wheeled up to the organ where he stretched his hands out over the keys. He was so focused that there wasn't any tremor visible as he flawlessly played the piece. At the conclusion of it he pretty much collapsed and resumed the tremors.”

I hope to tell more stories of James Paul Stalls, Sr in the future!

The Craft Family and the Melungeons

Several years ago a descendant of the the Craft family presented to my mother in an email the theory that the Craft line extended back to the Melungeons that originated in the Southeastern part of the United States: North Carolina and South Carolina into Tennessee and parts of Virginia, Kentucky and so on. If you don’t know about the Melungeons there is a website with a ton of information that I found through the Lost Colony/Melungeon Lore DNA Project, Melungeon Heritage Association.

There are several theories on the origin of the Melungeons, one being that the members of the Lost Colony of Roanoke may have travelled to Croatan Island and blended with the Native inhabitants. Another theory, of course, is that the colonists were attacked and murdered by the Natives.

In general it is thought that the Melungeons are a grab-bag mix of Native Americans, freed black slaves, Portuguese and white European settlers. DNA tests show that the genomes of known Melungeon descendants correlate with all of these groups.

Census records show us that these families all had appearances that did not allow them to be categorized into mainstream society. They were usually listed as black, Indian or mulatto. In general they may have had European features, but with darker skin. Or some of their features may have been more African than European. There are photos that can be found online of known Melungeons. Some I see and I think that I never would have noticed a difference. Some I see and, though the features are clearly European, their skin is very dark. I have even seen photos of people with blonde hair and very dark skin. As time went on and the Melungeons mingled and married those with predominately European ancestry their successors slowly became accepted as “white”.

So when my mother introduced me with this family theory, I decided to check it out. Because my autosomal DNA matches so many different world populations I am comparing it to different people of known Melungeon origins. This, of course, takes more research, but it’s pretty intriguing. This may explain why members of my direct Craft family get so dark in the sun so quickly. And though we know there is Native American blood, there may also be Melungeon.

A woman in the Lost Colony/Melungeon Lore DNA Project also has Crafts in her family. If I can find if and how her Crafts are from the same line I may be able to say unquestionably that, yes, our Crafts are descended from Melungeons.

I am still researching them, but here’s what I have so far (that I am certain of), following my direct line (this in no way represents all of the offspring from each couple, only my direct line):

Thomas Craft (abt 1810-?)

Dicey Unknown (abt 1822-?)

According to census records Thomas was born in North Carolina. Both his mother and father were born in South Carolina. Dicey was born in Tennessee and both her mother and father were born in South Carolina.

John Craft (1867-1931)

Epanetes (Eppy) Willhite (1869-?)

John Craft was born in Tennessee. Census records state that his father was born in Tennessee, so either the census taker or John himself made a mistake.

Henry Corbett Craft (1895-1971)

Katie Clady Cathey

Corb was born in Hickman County, Tennessee. Katie was born in Indian Bayou, Lonoke, Arkansas.

Ruthie May Craft (1925-2007)

James Paul Stalls, Jr (1917-1987)

Both Ruth and Paul were born in Tennessee.

I have read on websites many different surnames for Dicey. I have also seen many different fathers listed for Thomas, with the most promising being a Charles Craft from South Carolina. Until I have confirmation on these names, however, I cannot actually add them.

On an interesting side note, I read on Wikipedia that an anti-illegal immigration group is using Virginia Dare, the child of , more or less, illegal immigrants (the Native Americans sure didn’t want them on their land) as the namesake and symbol of their group.

Minnie Virginia Richards

Jerome E Richards (1856-1922) and Minnie DeMumbrie (1858-1928) were thrilled when their beautiful baby girl, Minnie Virginia Richards, came into this world on April 5, 1896. At the Memphis Jail.

The family home was having some work done and, lucky for them, Jerome worked for the Memphis Police Department and had an apartment fashioned in the jail for them to live until the work on the house was completed. Unfortunately, it wasn’t done until after Minnie was born and she would forever hush her son, James Paul Stalls, Jr (1917-1987) when he would jokingly bring up this fact to anyone willing to listen.

Minnie was the only daughter of five children and she was the baby of the family. She grew up pampered and fiercely protected by her older brothers. She attended finishing school and graduated as a Young Lady, speaking the Fine Southern Way proper women of the South would speak: without opening her mouth too much (presumably so people would have to lean forward and say “huh?” a lot).

Minnie was 9 years old when tragedy struck and she witnessed the suicide of her brother, Claud E Richards, in the parlor of the family home.

She met James Paul Stalls, Sr (1889-1951), a popular local musician, and they married on July 27, 1914. In the weeks leading up to the marriage there were many newspaper articles written, and read, on the grand affair. She had two showers, which were written up in the the Memphis papers including the color motifs, refreshments and party games (these ladies apparently really loved to play Hearts). The wedding itself took up nearly an entire column in one paper, listing what songs were performed and who performed them, the color theme and what everyone was wearing. The article is fairly long and you barely notice that the next column over notifies you to the fact that “Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dillard have returned after a weeks stay in the Ozarks”.

On August 19, 1917, Minnie gave birth to a son, James Paul Stalls, Jr. He proved to be quite a little handful! She once had him on the streetcar in town and he was acting up. She told him that as soon as they got back home she was going to get a switch after him. He began to loudly howl, “Please don’t beat me! Please don’t beat me!”, which no doubt embarrassed her. A woman on the train asked her if she planned on beating “that beautiful child” when they got home to which Minnie replied, “I wasn’t going to beat him…but now I may”.

Minnie and James divorced August 10, 1926. She then met Stephen Anthony Para (1895-1984), a railroad conductor, and they married January 29, 1927.

Stephen pampered Minnie and she was a lady of leisure, requiring two divans, one for each of them, to lounge on. She loved baseball and would have it playing on TV while she and Stephen snoozed. There was a lot of laughter in their household with friendly banter, teasing and joking with each other and family. She was known for throwing out an inappropriate joke or two from time to time.

Minnie loved to wear her furs, even to the grocery store, and even though it probably annoyed her, she would let my mother pet them often.

Minnie Virginia Richards passed away July 6, 1974. She had a formal Catholic funeral which may of her family and friends attended.

I have not yet found her obituary, but as soon as I do I will update along with sharing some more funny stories! And feel free to contact me with your stories about Minnie!

James Franklin Stalls

James Franklin Stalls is my Great-Great-Grandfather. And until now he has been a mystery to the family. Actually, he still kind of is!

According to census records JFS was born in Tennessee, though I can’t really say where in Tennessee. I will assume, for now, that he was born in Stewart County since a plethora of Stalls lived there and he was in some census records there.

A Stalls Bible gives his date of birth as August 29, 1857. The same bible record gave his death as November 19, 1889, yet we had nothing else to go by for that date. However, after researching, and searching, I finally found his obituary.

The Life of James Franklin Stalls (as is currently known)

James Franklin Stalls was born August 29, 1857 to James ML Stalls (1831-1912) and Georgia Ann Manning (1835-1918) in Tennessee. At some point he and his family moved to the Clark’s River area of Paducah, Kentucky.

The next documentation I have on JFS, after census records, is a marriage bond/certificate for him and Miss Mary J “Annie” Bondurant, daughter of Joseph Bondurant (dates currently unknown) and Elizabeth Francis Brewer (dates currently unknown). JFS and Annie Bondurant married in Paducah, Kentucky on April 30, 1888. According to the bond/certificate JFS was living in Obion County, possibly the town of Obion, in Tennessee and he was in the lumber business, presumably a sawmill worker.

The presumption has always been that JFS’s son, James Paul Stalls, Sr (June 12, 1889-January 21, 1951) was born in Obion County, Tennessee because JPS’s death certificate had states that (as informed by Evelyn Mozelle Fitzgerald Stalls, 2nd wife of James Paul Stalls, Sr). However, my Granddaddy, James Paul Stalls, Jr, always said that his father was born in Kentucky. Because Obion County was unable to find anything concerning either JFS, Annie or JPS I turned my attention back to Paducah, Kentucky. As of today I still haven’t found any documentation other than his death certificate as to whether JPS was actually born in Tennessee or Kentucky.

One of the family stories, that has yet to be disproven, is that an accident of some sort happened to JFS at a sawmill. Whether or not that meant he had an arm chopped off or was killed, we didn’t know. For all we knew it could have been another Stalls that had the accident. We do know now that he didn’t die directly of a sawmill accident, if he had one at all.

I finally have in my possession his obituary. James Franklin Stalls died at 4:30 in the afternoon on November 19, 1889 of pneumonia. I believe he was still living in Obion County, Tennessee, at least part time, because the obituary states he is from Obion and that his body was sent to Paducah for burial in Oak Grove Cemetery. I’m wondering if it is possible that he was in Obion for work, yet returned often to Paducah to be with his bride, and then bride and child.

I currently have two lovely ladies at the parks department in Paducah that oversee Oak Grove Cemetery on the case trying to find out exactly where JFS is buried. he is not listed on their interment list.

All I know is that if the newspaper that printed his obituary had spelled his name correctly then the family would have had this information long ago. I don’t know if the newspaper had a telephone at the time, but it is possible that if his death was called in then errors were bound to happen.

If anyone else has any information about James Franklin Stalls, please feel free to let me know! I would almost hope that a long lost relative or the descendent of a neighbor that has stories would be wonderful!

Category: Stalls Family