Digging Up Your Family

Paternal Grandmother In 1940

Last night I searched the census records for the entire city of Madisonville, Hopkins County, Kentucky and the surrounding areas looking for my paternal grandparents. I am still looking for Elbert Tracey “Shorty” Vincent (my grandfather). I was able to find Louise Rose (my grandmother)!

In 1940 Louise and her family were living just outside of Madisonville in Hopkins County.

Louise and Shorty didn’t marry until December of 1940. So, when the census was enumerated she was living with her father Silas and her siblings: Carlos, Avanell, Rosalie, Maybelle and JT (I hope I got those names spelled correctly!)

Today I will go through the rest of Hopkins County, then start searching Muhlenberg County (yesterday I searched the civil district of Muhlenberg County where the family lived in 1930, but no luck) and McLean County (yesterday I also searched Sacramento, McLean County, Kentucky since my understanding is that at some point Lucy, Shorty’s mother, may have lived on a farm owned by her sister Drusie). I have asked several people if they know about where Shorty may have lived at the time, but no one knows.

The search continues!

More Family In 1940

I have been searching for my grandmother’s family in the 1940 census since it was released on Monday. I’m about to focus on a different line for a while, though. Tracking Grandmother’s family is a little difficult because they seemed to move a lot.

I remembered that my grandmother worked at the bomb factory in Milan, Gibson County, Tennessee at one point, so I was hoping to find her there (she also married her first husband in Gibson County in 1940). I still haven’t found her, but I did find another one of her sisters!

Maggie Nell Craft married Woodrow Phillips. In 1940 they were living just outside of Milan in Gibson County, Tennessee.

A Few Family Members In 1940

The search is still on (and has been for 4 days) to find my family members in the 1940 US Census. Here’s a few of them!

My great-grandmother’s sister Ludie Mae Cathey. She married Cam Daniel. This census shows Ludie, Cam and their children in Hurricane Mills, Humphreys County, Tennessee.

My great-grandmother’s half sister Maggie Smith married Granville Baker. In 1940 Maggie and Granville, along with some of their children, also lived in Hurricane Mills, Humphreys County, Tennessee.

My grandmother’s sister Nettie Sue Craft married Elgie Lewis. In 1940 Nettie Sue, Elgie and their two children (Buddy for some reason is listed as Billie) were living in Nunnelly, Hickman County, Tennessee.

The hunt is still on to find everyone else!

James ML Stalls

My relationship to James ML Stalls:

Me

Virginia Marie Stalls (mom)

James Paul Stalls, Jr (granddaddy)

James Paul Stalls, Sr (g-grandfather)

James Franklin Stalls (gg-grandfather)

James ML Stalls (ggg-grandfather)

*please see note at bottom of post concerning the children of James ML Stalls and Georgia Anna Manning

*family photos and cemetery photo used with permission of Robert Stalls

James ML Stalls was born May 22, 1831 in Stewart County, Tennessee to parents Elijah Stalls and Edna Barrow.

Though each individual in a household was not listed on US census records until 1850, he is represented on the 1840 census. The family is found living in Stewart County, Tennessee. Elijah Stalls is listed as head of household. James ML Stalls is represented as

Free White Persons-Male-5 thru 9– 1.

Also represented in the household were:

Free White Persons-Male-Under 5– 1

Free White Persons-Male-20-29– 2 (one was Elijah, I’m not sure who the other was)

Free White Persons Female-Under 5– 1

Free White Persons-Female-10-14– 1

Free White Persons-Female-20-29– 2 (one was Edna, I’m not sure who the other was)

In 1850 the family is still living in Stewart County, Tennessee. James is listed as James Stalls, age 19 years, no occupation listed. His parents are listed as Elijah Stalls (farmer, age 39 years) and Edna Stalls (age 40 years). James’ siblings living in the house are listed as: May (or Mary, age 22 years), Margaret (age 14 years), George (age 13 years), Elisabeth (age 7 years) and William (age 7 months). Two others living with the family are: May Robins (age 45 years) and Zachary Gastin (not sure about last name, age 1 year). I’m not sure how they are related to the family, if at all, yet.

James ML Stalls married Georgia Anna Manning on September 27, 1851 in Stewart County, Tennessee.

James and Georgia have moved by the enumeration of the 1860 census. They are found living in Post Office Paris, District 4, Henry County, Tennessee. James is shown as 30 years of age and an “overseer”, most likely of a farm. Georgia is listed as Georgian, age 25 years. Their children listed are James (age 2 years) and Daniel (age 8 months?).

By 1870 the family moved to Dover, District 7, Stewart County, Tennessee. James is listed as Jas Stalls, age 39 years. His occupation is shown as “Ferryman”. Georgia is listed as Georga, age 34 years and keeping house. The children listed are: Jas (James, in school, age 13 years), John (?, in school, age 11 years), Elizabeth (age 9 years), Elladene (age 6 years) and William (age 5 months).

Once again the family moved so that in 1880 they are found on the census living in Clarke River, District 2, McCracken County, Kentucky. James is listed as age 49 and working in a sawmill. Georgia is listed as Georgie A., age 45 years and keeping house. Their children living with them are: James F (works in sawmill, age 23 years), Don F (works in sawmill, age 21 years), Nelly (at home, attended school within the year, age 16 years), William (at home, attended school within the year, age 11 years), Miny (attended school within the year, age 8 years) and Dasy (age 5 years).

There is no census for 1890.

Though I have not yet located James ML Stalls in the 1900 census I do know he was living in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee at the time. Checking the Memphis City Directories he first shows up in 1898, so he probably moved to Memphis in 1897. The directory shows his listing as:

Stalls, James M, carp, res 35 Peyton ave.

1910 is the last census James ML Stalls shows up on. He is listed as James M Stalls, age 78 years. No occupation is listed, so I assume that means he is retired. Georgia is listed as George A., age 71 years. This census also tells use their address! James and Georgia lived at 231 Looney Avenue, District 157, Ward 2, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee.

James ML Stalls died March 30, 1912 in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee. The cause of death was Apoplexy. Something interesting on the burial certificate is that it looks like it says his length of residence in Memphis was 30 years, but that can’t be correct unless he was unlisted for some reason.

James was buried in the Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis Shelby County, Tennessee.

*note about the children of James ML Stalls and Georgia Anna Manning – the children listed in the Bible of Daisy Dean Stalls are:

Calvina Stalls (April 6, 1853-March 22, 1857, Scarlett Fever)
Lucy Stalls (June 9, 1855-March 18, 1857, Scarlett Fever)
James F Stalls (James Franklin Stalls, August 29, 1857-November 19, 1889)
Don F Stalls (September 14, 1859, Paris, Tennessee-January 16, 1910)
Bettie Davis Stalls (Elizabeth, June 22, 1861-April 13, 1925)
L Stalls (December 22, 1862-July 12, 1863)
Nellie L Stalls (April 13, 1864-March 8, 1945)
Willie L Stalls (William Franklin Stalls, August 5, 1869-October 7, 1914)
Georgia Anna Stalls (“Minnie”, February 1, 1872-April 11, 1944)
Daisy Dean Stalls (only marriage date listed, birth and death dates are April 16, 1875-December 3, 1848)

What’s interesting is how the names change throughout the census records. Also, on the 1910 census it says that Georgia had 11 children, 5 of who are still living. The Bible only lists 10 children. I wonder who the 11th child was?

Baby Chicks 1939

Perfect for Spring! This is a 1939 advertisement for baby chicks found in a farming magazine.

BABY CHICKS

Ga. U. S. Approved

Pullorum tested.

Write now or ask for free circular describing these better chicks.

Blue Ribbon Hatchery

Don’t forget that tomorrow is the release of the 1940 US Census!

Not-So-Wordless Wednesday: Cemetery Vandalism

Vandalism in Old Sharon Baptist Church Cemetery in Henry County, Georgia.

It just makes me so angry.

This can be repaired, if the families and the church will step up to help. People are standing by waiting for funding and permission to repair and clean up the cemetery. This never should have happened in the first place. This is a problem for the people who live around this cemetery, the families who have ancestors buried here, and for the people who raised their children to think that damage like this is ok.

Old Sharon Baptist Church Slave Cemetery, Henry County, Georgia

I had the joy of meeting with Ed, the leader of the local Boy Scout troop, and his son yesterday to tromp around the Old Sharon Baptist Church Cemetery in hopes of finding the slave cemetery that I had read was somewhere. We found it! Ed went and knocked on the door of the couple who right next to the cemetery. The woman Mrs. Morgan took us out to the edge of their property where the stone wall from the cemetery runs and showed us the slave cemetery. She said that she had marked the spot years ago with an Azalea bush, and her husband had put posts in the ground to mark where it was also. Due to poor health they weren’t able to keep up with it as well as in the past. She was really happy to talk to us about it and show us the stones.

Today my husband and I went out to take photos of the stones. Mrs. Morgan and her husband came out and talked to us for a few minutes, reminding us to check for ticks when we returned home because the deer are out roaming around and she feeds them apples.

I’m excited for the find of this cemetery. The story is that there is also a Union soldier buried there. He apparently was killed in a battle that happened just across the street from the cemetery.

Mrs. Morgan is excited that someone is going to be cleaning it up and keeping it up. Once it’s cleaned up I hope to make a plaque of some sort to mark the area.

My husband and I counted 25 separate areas of stones, but I guarantee there are more people because when you walk around you step into depressions in the ground. Once the leaves are cleared away and it’s cleaned up we should be able to see other grave areas.

I will be posting photos of the Old Sharon Baptist Church Cemetery at some point. It’s pretty horrible and I really want to get it cleaned up and the stones repaired. Kids have been vandalizing it for years, and I can’t describe the condition it’s in accurately. My husband and I will be going through and doing a survey of it over several days (it’s that bad). Hopefully someone will help fund the Boy Scout troop in my area, as well as finding the descendants of the people buried in the cemetery to give the Boy Scouts permission so that the troop can go in and clean and repair all of the stones and fencing.

Anyway, photos of the stones we found in the Old Sharon Baptist Church Slave Cemetery!

Wordless Wednesday: Skullbone, Gibson County, Tennessee

Skullbone, Gibson County, Tennessee.

Joseph M Bondurant

My relationship to Joseph M Bondurant:

Me

Virginia Marie Stalls (my mom)

James Paul Stalls, Jr (granddaddy)

James Paul Stalls, Sr (g-grandfather)

Mary J “Annie” Bondurant (2nd g-grandmother)

Joseph M Bondurant (3rd g-grandfather)

Joseph M Bondurant was born June 20, 1843 in Kentucky (most likely Marshall County) to parents Joseph Bondurant and Sarah A “Sally” Hunt.

The 1850 census is the first time Joseph shows on the census. The family is living in Marshall County, Kentucky. He is listed as Joseph Bondurant, age 8 years. The others in the household were: his parents Joseph (merchant, age 42 years) and Sally (age 42 years); brothers William M (farmer, age 15 years), James KP (age 12 years) and John M (age 10 years); Elacia P (age 4 years) is also listed, but I haven’t seen her on any other records after this census.

By 1860 Joseph’s father had passed away and his mother had remarried to Abram Cross. The family is found living in Benton, Marshall County, Kentucky. Joseph is listed as J Bondurant (farmer, age 17 years). The others in the house are: A Cross (Abram, farmer, age 62 years), S Cross (Sally, age 47 years), JM Bondurant (John M, farmer, age 18 years) an GW Bondurant (George Washington, age 9 years).

On August 11, 1862 Joseph M Bondurant enrolled in the Union Army, Company A, 15th Kentucky Calvary. Something I don’t understand about it is the image below. It’s the only card for him in the file and it says Rejected. *Name, age, and date of enrollment cancelled by line drawn through them. I’m not actually sure what that means.

In 1863 Joseph’s name appears on a Civil War Draft Registration (seen below). This says that his name is Joseph Bondurant, age 20 years. He is listed as white, a farmer and born in Kentucky. When it asks about previous military service he is listed as discharged U.S.A. I just don’t understand this.

Joseph M Bondurant married Francis Elizabeth Brewer on November 17, 1863 in Marshall County, Kentucky.

In 1870 Joseph and family appear on the census living in District 5, Brewer’s Mill, Marshall County, Kentucky. Joseph is shown as Joseph Bondurant, a merchant, age 28 years. Frances is listed as Elizabeth, age 24 years). Their children are: Thomas M (age 6 years), Mary J (Annie, age 4 years) and John W (age 2 years). Joseph’s mother is living with them listed as Sarah Cross (age 50 years) and his brother George W Bondurant (farmer, age 20 years) is, too. Daniel Hunt, Joseph’s grandfather (Sally’s father, farmer, age 87 years) is living in the house and so is someone I haven’t yet connected: Andrew J Hunt (farmer, age 19 years).

The last census that Joseph appears on is the 1880 census. The family is found living in Precinct 8, Smiths, Marshall County, Kentucky. Joseph is shown as 37 years of age and a trader and buyer of stocks. Francis is shown as Francis, age 35 years. Their children listed are: Thomas (works on farm, age 15 years), Annie (age 14 years), John W (age 13 years) and Clifton M (age 4 years). There is also a boarder living with the family named Rosa Kline (age 21 years). She doesn’t appear to have a job due to “spasms”.

Due to census records for Francis in the 1900s we know that at least three more children were born to Joseph M Bondurant. We also know that after the 1880 census sometime Joseph moved his family to Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky.

Joseph M Bondurant passed away on December 21, 1886 in Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky. I cannot find anything concerning his death (yet), but I am still hoping to find an obituary. He is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky.

14 More Days!

Only 14 days left until the 1940 US Census is released to the public! I’m so excited I might pee my pants!

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