Digging Up Your Family

Richards Family Bible

The following is a copy of the Richards Family Bible records, probably started by Minnie DeMumbrie, as you can see the handwriting for her death is different from the rest. Although Jerome, Jr’s death date is written in a completely different handwriting, too. One interesting thing to note is that though all previous records of the name “DeMumbrie” were spelled with the first “M” capitalized, she did not capitalize that letter. Also, I’m not sure that George Washington Richards was listed in any other posts along with her other children. I actually was not aware of him until after I wrote the post about her. AND there seems to be a debate about Jerome, Sr and Jerome, Jr’s middle name. It is either Edward, Edmund or Edmond. I’m not really certain which, since different records have it listed all three ways and the Bible records below have it as Ed, Eddie or E.

Photos of the family members follow the Bible pages, with the exception of George Washington Richards and Bluford Napoleon Richards (I do not yet have photos of them, but, please, feel free to send some to me!).

MARRIAGES

Jerome Ed Richards

and

Minnie Demumbrie

was married 21st of

January 1878

BIRTHS

Jerome Eddie Richards Jr

was Born 18th Jany 1879

Claude Eugene Richards

was Born Aug 14th 1880

Bluford Napoleon Richards

was Born March 9th 1884

Clegg Demumbrie (Richards)

was Born March 16 1890

George Washington (Richards)

was Born July 4th 1892

Minnie Virginia (Richards)

was Born April 5th 1896

DEATHS

Geo W Richards

Died March 3rd 1894

Age One Year & Eight Months

J Ed Richards Jr

Died May 18 1929

Jerome E. Richards

Died Aug 14- 1822

Age 66 years 6 months

Minnie Demumbrie Richards

Died November 6, 1928

Jerome E Richards, Sr

Minnie DeMumbrie

Jerome E Richards, Jr

Claude Eugene Richards

Clegg DeMumbrie Richards

Minnie Virginia Richards

Dr Hildebrand’s Laboratories 1930 UPDATED!

I can offer nothing concerning this advertisement today. Really! I looked up Dr Hildebrand’s Laboratories and found nothing. I looked up the Alabama Times, which is the newspaper this advertisement was found in, and I couldn’t even find that newspaper! So…

This advertisement for Dr Hildebrand’s Famous Gallstone and Liver Capsules was found in the February 8, 1930 issue of the Alabama Times. I do have to wonder how “famous” this Dr Hildebrand could have possibly been since no information could be found on him, his “laboratories” or his products. I’m sure I will conduct a more in-depth search one day and find something. As for the newspaper, I really want to find out more about the Alabama Times. Half of the page I have is missing…as in torn off. So, I don’t even know what city in Alabama to begin my search, though my initial contact to Birmingham has yet to be answered.

While reading this advertisement I can totally hear a radio announcer speaking the words. Crazy. I bet someone did, during a broadcast of the Grand Ole Opry or similar.

UPDATE:

My mom searched around and found some information concerning "Dr Hildebrand". She writes, "Dr. Hildebrand's Gall Stone Capsules and Granzow's Tonic Tablets can be found in a lawsuit US v. Frank Granzow, trading as Dr. Hildebrandt Laboratories with a plea of guilty and fined $40. The issue date was July 1936, and the date of seizure was April 17, 1933. This link gives the particulars of this lawsuit: http://archive.nlm.nih.gov/fdanj/handle/123456789/64489. The ingredients are an interesting read, particularly Granzow's Tonic Tablets which included strychnine!". How interesting!

RB Maxwell’s 5-10-25c McDonough, Georgia

The other night I was looking through all of the old newspapers that I have strewn around the guest bedroom, and I discovered a flier for RB Maxwell’s, a dime store that used to be in McDonough, Henry County, Georgia. The flier was printed in 1943 and was an advertisement for clothing patterns. I started wondering where in McDonough the store had been and when I voiced this thought everyone said probably at the town square. BUT, I knew that I could find someone to tell me exactly where it had been. So I went to Bell, Book and Candle, a little used book store that can be found just off the square in an old mill building just behind (under?) an antique store. The floor of Bell, Book and Candle still has markers on the floor where lumber would be measured before being cut, and tin, too, for roofs. Anyway, I knew that Dan Brooks, one of the authors of Haunted Memories of McDonough, Georgia (written to go with The McDonough Haunted History Tour), would be up at the bookstore and he would be able to tell me where the dime store had been. I had forgotten my digital recorder and my notebook, so I didn’t ask many questions, but I did get pictures.

From what I understand RB Maxwell’s started out just south of the town square on Macon Street. However, since they weren’t getting much business they ended up moving onto the square. Dan’s cousin used to work there, so after he called her he was able to give an exact location of the last place the dime store had been. Prior to the move onto the square he knew that it was over next to where Colonial Grocery Store had been, he just couldn’t remember which store front exactly.

Just south of the town square, looking south down Macon Street. The dime store was first in one of these store fronts.

Just south of the town square, looking north down Macon street. I think Colonial Grocery was the grey store front on the far left in the picture.

I think this was Colonial Grocery.

The east side of the town square looking south. This is The Image Doctor, a photo restoration business. This used to be RB Maxwell’s. This is two doors down from the old movie theater.

North looking view of The Image Doctor. I was pretty pleased to see a photo restoration business here. I have a photo of my great-grandmother that is just crumbling away. I need to bring it to them and see if they can save it! The tall end of the building used to be the movie theater.

Hopefully I have all of the information correct. There isn’t much, but sadly I didn’t think about my recorder or notebook until I pulled into the parking lot. Next time I have questions I will need to remember to take them with me!

Wordless Wednesday: Maude Mae Jones

Maude Mae Jones Sharpe (1902-1996) in 1921

Jessie Elaine Wallace (1941-2011)

My mother-in-law Jessie Elaine Wallace Smith was born November 14, 1941 and passed away December 31, 2011.

Leatherman, Hosley, Roake in Ohio

I know I have posted two of these photos before, but I am determined to find who they belong to since these are actually labeled and they all appear to have been in the same album at one point, prior to ending up in an antique store. I had originally put up a post about them on GenForum. I actually had a few of people respond with information about the first one, Cleo Leatherman, and they appear to be related to her, however they don’t seem to want the photo, nor do they seem interested in seeing the other two photos. I really hope someone out there who is related to any of these women pictured will contact me with some information about them. And I would love to find homes for these photographs.

Information contained in this post is collected from various websites and Ancestry trees. If any information is incorrect please let me know!

This photo is for Cleo Fayette Mericle. She was born September 22, 1887 in Grover Hill, Latty Township, Paulding County, Ohio to parents Isaiah Mericle (1859-1929) and Mary Catherine Gusler (1860-1949). Cleo married Hiram Franklin (or Franklin Hiram, depending on the website you look at) Leatherman (1887-1969) in 1908 in Ohio. Together Cleo and Hiram had at least three children: Mildred Juanita, Frances Katherine and Harold. Cleo died on September 12, 1969 in Sylvania, Lucas County, Ohio. Her husband died the same day, though I cannot find if he died in the same place.

The handwriting on the back of this photo is kind of hard to read. I believe the name is Anna Hosley, though. I looked for both Anna Hasley and Anna Hosley in the state of Ohio and both names are listed there. The photo was taken in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. The three women listed below are the most likely to be this mystery Anna based on birth years that I found.

Anna Eliza Topping (1874-1957) married Arthur Harrison Hosley (1870-1934)

Anna Marie Meier (1896-1984) married George William Hosley (1893-1984)

Saville Ann “Anna” Burger (1871-?) married William LC Hosley (1868-1933)

The last photo is another that the handwriting is kind of hard to read, but I believe it says Augusta and Mary Roake. Though I was unable to find a Mary Roake, I was able to find an Augusta Roake. A marriage record for a Ruth Edna Beale lists Augusta Roake and James M Beale as parents. If this is the correct Augusta Roake then she was born about 1870. She had at least three children with James M Beale: Marion A (or Marian or Marion), Ruth Edna and Coleridge L. I wish I could find Mary.

The photo was addressed to Mrs. JF Leatherman in Fort Jennings, Putnam County, Ohio. I believe this may have been Catherine “Kate” Huston (1870-1912) who was married to Joseph Frank Leatherman (1865-?)

I hope, hope, hope someone (a direct descendant, perhaps?) will see these photos and contact me. I would love to hear stories about these women. More importantly I would love to see these photos go to their families. I am not asking for any money. The only things I ask are that: 1. the photos end up with family; 2. the photos stay with family (never end up on eBay or any other place for sale!); and 3. I can get stories and do a proper post on them so that other people who may be searching will find something!

Wordless Wednesday: Unknown

Judge Jerome Edward Richards, Jr

Click HERE for more information about Judge Jerome Edward Richards, Jr!

My mom has been asking about this photo of Judge Jerome Edward Richards, Jr, a former criminal court judge for the City of Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, and I was unable to locate it until I came across a box of photos that was, for some reason, stored with Christmas decorations. It’s a very tiny photo, so I am quite surprised at the detail I was able to get when I scanned it. As you can see, it’s about the size of two postage stamps!

The Hecht Company December 1963

note: information for The Hecht Company found on Wikipedia

The Hecht Company of department stores started in 1857 in Baltimore, Maryland as a used furniture store. The company’s proprietor, Samuel Hecht, Jr , a man of Jewish descent, came from Germany to America in 1847, along with his brother and mother.

The Hecht Company enjoyed pretty decent growth through the decades, having 81 stores in several states from Pennsylvania to Tennessee and North Carolina. After 102 years of operating as a family business the now-defunct The May Department Stores Company bought The Hecht Company in 1959. The Federated Department Stores stepped into the mix in 2005 and dissolved The May Department Store Company. By Fall of 2006 The Hecht Company stores, known as The Hecht, Hecht’s and Hecht Brothers, became Macy’s, guaranteeing Federated Department Stores of even more success with a nationally known brand name.

I wonder if Samuel Hecht, Jr is rolling in his grave seeing his family owned business become an overly priced Zayre’s Department Store?

Acra Archie Cathey-UPDATED

I have been meaning to do a post on Acra Archie Cathey for a while because his death is somewhat of a mystery, or has just been hush-hushed by family, but I haven’t gotten around to it until now. It was emails from two of his great-granddaughters that finally pushed me to write the post, and hopefully someone who has information about him will come forward with what really happened.

Acra Archie Cathey was born July 24, 1893 in Danville, Stewart County, Tennessee (though his death record says Danville, Hickman County, Tennessee…but Danville is in Stewart County) to parents William Glenn Cathey (1861-1906) and Margaret Elizabeth “Lizzie” Summers (1870-1952). He was their second born.

The first census that Acra appears on is in 1900 with his family in Indian Bayou, Lonoke County, Arkansas, age 6 years. The others listed on the census are his father Will G Cathey (tipping blocks, age 36 years), his mother Elizabeth (age 30 years), older brother Riley (play only, age 10 years), younger brother Georgie (age 4 years) and younger sister Katie (age 2 years).

By 1910 the family had returned to Tennessee and Acra’s father had passed away. The family is found living in the Eighth District of Humphreys County, Tennessee. Acra is listed as Acry (as his name is pronounced), a farm laborer, age 16 years. His brother Riley is no longer living with the family (another mystery). The others in the household were his mother Elizabeth Cathey (age 36 years-wrong), his younger brother Arlee (George, farm laborer, age 13 years), younger sister Katie (age 12 years), younger sister Ludie (listed as Larine?, age 7 years), younger brother William (age 4 years) and younger sister Maggie (age 2 months-note: I had previously thought it said she was 2 1/2 years, but I was wrong on that. It still doesn’t answer why she was listed as a Cathey if she was actually a Smith, but this suggests that she was born out of wedlock).

I’m not sure why, but Acra’s WWI Draft Registration card has his birth year as 1894, which is a year later than his actual birth. The card lists his occupation as a Teamster for Evan’s & (?). He was short and stout, with blue eyes, light hair, had all of his hair and had all arms and legs.

In 1920 Acra shows up in Cross Keys, DeKalb County, Georgia at Camp Gordon United States Military Reservation. He is listed on the census as Acra A Cathey, a soldier, age 26 years. He is shown as a Corporal for the United States Army.

In 1923 Acra was back in Tennessee. He married Annie Lou Pickard on November 18, 1923 in Dyer County, Tennessee.

The 1930 census shows Acra and his family living in Third Civil District, Madison County, Tennessee. He is listed as Acra Cathey, a farmer, age 36 years. Also in the household were is wife Annie (age 24 years), son Arthur D (age 4 years 8 months) and daughter Dorothy E (age 7 months).

I am eagerly awaiting the release of the 1940 census in April 2012! Acra and Annie Lou had three other children after 1930: Annie Katherine, Francis and Clifford. I look forward to doing posts on them soon when I get stories about them!

Acra Archie Cathey passed away on December 31, 1944 in Humboldt, Madison County, Tennessee. And here is where it gets interesting. According to his death certificate he died from a fractured skull and vertebra (neck?) when he was struck by either a truck or other vehicle out on the highway. There are other theories surrounding his death, however. The one that the family has most often heard was that he was struck over the head with a hammer over either a livestock thief or by someone close to the family due to a feud. My grandmother always said that her Uncle Acra was murdered, as his nephew says, too. Though no one seems to be able to say how. If my grandmother knew then she never told my mom, and I wonder if she told anyone else, or if she even knew how it happened. I’m hoping to get to the bottom of this mystery, though. We are going to ask around to relatives and see if they know.

UPDATE: After making some phone calls my mom discovered that Acra Archie Cathey did indeed die due to being hit on the head with a hammer. It seems to have happened near some railroad tracks. Which makes me question as to why Madison County, Tennessee appears to have covered up the cause of death. The way I figure, a coroner should have (and still) know the difference between a head being hit with a hammer and a head being hit with a car. Perhaps it was a rookie coroner?

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