mountain heritage - gcgsi. · PDF file• Marriage Bonds of Duplin County N.C. 1749-1868 • Abstracts of Sampson County N.C. Wills - 1784-1895

a s d f In this quarterly issue:

2016 Officers

1

JOHN A. LOWMAN and TEMPA STONE LOWMAN THURMOND

2

Colonial North American Project at Harvard University

4

Last Quarter Highlights

New Books Added 6

In Focus: Boone Weavers Model 21 Ford

6

Family Research Center 7

Bulletin Board 9

5

In Remembrance 1

The Gilmer County Genealogical Society, Inc. March 1, 2016 Volume 4, Issue 1

mountain heritage

American Pioneers: Flapjacks. Albert, D. Beyond the Mississippi.

Hartford, CT: American

Publishing Company, 1867.

PICTURE SUBMITTED BY BRENDA COCHRAN Our 2016 Officers were installed at our annual Christmas luncheon in December at the Shriner’s Lodge. Thank you for serving our society in 2016!

The 2016 officers are: President: Karen Titus First Vice-President: Sylvia Johnson Second Vice President: Joy Childress Treasurer: John Davis Recording Secretary and Historian: Gladys Spivey Corresponding Secretary: Patricia Henson Events Chair: Genelle Cantrell Publications Chair: Karla Duke Membership Chair: Susan Noles Publicity Chair: Rebecca Burrell ** Pictured Above from left to right: President: Karen Titus, First Vice President: Sylvia Johnson, Second Vice President and Fist Family Chair: Joy Childress, Recording Secretary: Gladys E. Spivey, Corresponding Secretary: Patricia Henson, Publications Chair, Karla Duke, Membership Chair Susan Noles, Publicity Chair: Rebecca Burrell.

2016 GCGSI Of f icers

This quarterly addition of the Mountain Heritage Newsletter is dedicated to the memory of honorary member, Mary Withrow.

In Remembrance

Page 2 The G i lmer County Genea log i c a l Soc i e ty , I nc .

J O H N A . L O W M A N a n d T E M P A S T O N E L O W M A N T H U R M O N D

Stories and Photos By Robert Lowman As Taken From: http://www.angelfire.com/ga3/LowmanHistory/JohnA..htm John A. Lowman was born in 1852. He died on March 18, 1919 of what they then called heart dropsy. One unconfirmed source said the A. in his name was for Allen. I think the more likely name was Andrew. There were several people named Andrew But none, in the family named Allen. He lived most of his life near the Dawson Co., Gilmer, Pickins County line. He did move for a while to Texas. One married daughter and her husband went also. They stayed along with two others that married Texas men. This was around 1905. A 1905 deed selling Dawson County land showed him living in Johnson County Texas. Jay said their Post

Office

was Grandview, Tx. but their main shopping center was Alvarado, Tx. John was born in Dawson county. His father was Martin Lowman. His mother was Terissa Turner. Tempa was born in Gilmer County. Her father was John Stone. Her mother was Susan "Susie" Forrester. My grandfather tells a story about John A.. Near the end of the war between the states he was twelve years old. During the war the home guard lived off the land so the people would hide their animals and food. Martin sent John to check on them and he ran up on the guard. They made him get off his horse and the were about to take it and he started to cry. The leader came up and told the others that he knew the boy's father well and they were not going to take his horse so they let him go. My father said John W. told him he could remember his father making legal whiskey. He had a federal permit. Once ever few months a government man would come by and test it. I am not sure when this ended but it must have been before they went to Texas. This move must have been around 1904. John did own 240 acres of land on Burnt Mountain. This was near the old Vantress Chicken Farm. Isaac Holbert also lived on that mountain. Isaac's daughter Louisa married John A. Lowman's son John Washington Lowman. Continued on pg. 3



Continued from Page 2

Tempa L. Stone Lowman Thurmond was born in Gilmer Co. on the 4th of June 1856. She was the child of John Stone and his wife Susan Forrester. After John's death in 1919 she married Vance Thurmond. Vance had several sons at home. She was in her 70s but she still cooked, washed and kept house for all of them. Her eyesight was good enough that she could still thread a needle. She got around well until a few years before her death.

I can just recall her. She died when I was just over five years old. Her and I think one of her daughters that worked in a plant, that made stuffed animals, gave me a stuffed cat. I am not sure what became of it. She also gave me a small pink plastic pistol that came out of a gum ball machine. I still have that today.

Jay tells a story pasted on by his father. When they were moving to Texas.They were loading all their goods on the train. The conductor was trying to hurry them up. He told them he was going to leave them. John A. told him to go ahead if he needed to. There would be another one along behind him. The conductor held the train.

On a trip to Chattanooga John A. and John W., still a kid, were still traveling at dark. They saw a light at a house and walked up to it. The man inside put out the light. When John knotted on the door, no one an-swered. John said, "A man and his boy need a place to sleep tonight.". There still was no answer. John kicked in the door. The man inside was afraid. John said, "Old man you have nothing to be afraid of. Me and the boy needed a place to sleep and you would not open the door." They stayed the night and left the next day.

John and Tempa had nine children that I know of. They had six girls and three boys. The girls were Loumanda, Senie, Rissie, Luler, Eller and Tempa. The boys were Lewis, John W., and Joe. Two of the girls stayed in Texas. One moved on later to Kentucky. The other three stayed in Georgia. All the boys died in Dawson County. Joe is buried in Gilmer County.

Continued on Page 4



Continued from Page 3

Joe never married but died during the great flu. John made all his own shoes for the whole family. He would start with the oldest child in the Fall and make them in order from the oldest to the youngest. Granddaddy said he got his shoes just before Christmas. During the Summer all the kids would go

barefoot. They only got one pair a year.

This would have had to have happened within a year or two of his death and Daddy can recall this. John A

was over six foot tall. He killed two very large bull snakes. He brought them by to show everyone. He held them up and they were longer than he was tall.

For more information on this family lineage from their Family Bible - go to: http://www.angelfire.com/ga3/LowmanHistory/JohnA..htm For more stories from Robert Lowman on other Lowman Families, go to: http://www.angelfire.com/ga3/LowmanHistory/index.html

C o l o n i a l N o r t h A m e r i c a n P ro je c t a t H a r v a rd U n i ve r s i t y

SUBMITTED BY JESSICA TIBBETTS, Adult Services Coordinator, Gilmer County Library

Information and picture taken from: http://colonialnorthamerican.library.harvard.edu/

This website provides access to some of the remarkable materials digitized as part of the ongoing, multi-year Colonial North American Project at Harvard University.

When complete, the project will make available to the world digitized images of all known archival and manuscript materials in the Harvard Library that relate to 17th and 18th century North America. Scattered through twelve repositories, these documents reveal a great deal about topics such as social life, education, trade, finance, politics, revolution, war, women, Native American life, slavery, science, medicine, and religion. In addition to reflecting the origins of the United States, the digitized materials also document aspects of life and work in Great Britain, France, Canada, the Caribbean, and Mexico. The ‘Essays’ on this website are the work of a Summer 2015 Arcadia Fellow, Alicia DeMaio, who was one of the first researchers to connect thematically related material from among the images digitized to date.

Check it out! The Colonial North American Project at Harvard Collection currently has 2,446 documents.

Winthrop, William,1753-1825. Notebook concerning mathematical equations: manuscript, 1769-1774. MS Am 550. Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.


Last Quar ter High l ights Annual Christmas Luncheon in December: Pictures Submitted by Brenda Cochran

Members gathered at the Shriner’s Lodge for our annual Christmas Luncheon and installation of officers. We had great food, fun and entertainment provided by Cathy and Clyde!

January Monthly Meeting: Picture Submitted by Rebecca Burrell

Our January Speaker was Joyce Southern Bennett. Joyce shared stories from her book “Beyond the Hill” about growing up in the Big Creek, Stover Mountain area. Ms. Joyce donated a copy to the library. Check it out!

February Monthly Meeting: Picture Submitted by Karla Duke

Our February Speaker was Kathi Harper Hill - She is a local author of six books. She read from two of her books and

invited us to discuss them. "Out on a Limb" is about 4 generations of Appalachian women told by their matriarch, eighty-seven year old Missouri Pickett. "The Year of Nine: Where the Rain Begins" is a first person story of 9 year old

Tansy Corbin which takes place in 1963.

Abby, Mason and Madison. First Family Members, Madison White and Gladys Spivey


New Books Added

SUBMITTED BY JOHN DAVIS, TREASURER

• God’s Country - Churches of Ellijay, Ga.

• Rutherford County N.C. Wills 1783-1868

• Family Tree of James Henry Brock and Mary Bertie Lee Woode

• Descendants of James Dillard and Sarah Dillard

• Marriages and Deaths from Tarboro N.C. Newspaper - 1824-1865

• Marriage Bonds of Duplin County N.C. 1749-1868

• Abstracts of Sampson County N.C. Wills - 1784-1895

• Marriage Bonds of Haywood and Jackson Counties N.C. 1808-1870

• Portraits of a Southern Place: A Pictorial History of Early Jackson County, Ga.

• Jackson County, Ga. Superior Court Conveyances Recorded in 1802-1803

In Focus SUBMITTED BY HOLLYANA HARDY WHITE

This photograph was

printed in the 1994

Historical Calendar

published by the Gilmer Arts

and Heritage Association.

The calendar was in the

collection of Carlton Hardy

of Ellijay, Georgia.

Boone Weaver’s 21 Model Ford: Ready to take to the Road are Boone Weaver, Lester Weaver and

Paul McClure (driving), shown in Mr. Weaver’s Ford in this picture taken in 1992 or 1923. Boone, on the

left, bought the car from Rilly Cochran. One question: “What happened to the motor?”


Fami ly Research Center I am looking for a marriage record for Henry Thompson Mcentire and his wife Mary around 1850. Some people think her name was Mary Cross. I am also looking for any information regarding a murder Henry committed with his son in law William Henry Mathis. They were indicted in 1881. Victim may have had the last name Orr. Henry and William took their families and left the state afterwards. I have a copy of the true

bill from Murray county. I can not however find a copy of the indictment. I would love to know more about the murder whether it be the indictment or newspaper article. After fleeing, Henry Thompson Mcentire moved to Shannon county Missouri and went by Henry Thompson. One of his sons married the daughter of David Bunch (another of my 3rd great grandfathers). Henry's son Andrew and David's

daughter Anna married and from this union my great grandma was born in 1900. In 1890 Henry ( who everyone in town hated) and David got into an all too frequent argument and David killed Henry. David spent 7 yrs in the Missouri State penitentiary. I also know Henry was captured at the battle of Champion hill near Vicksburg fighting for the 39th Georgia company I. David's unit was the 6 Missouri vol inf and they

were also in the area at the time. These 2 men were it seems destined to meet. I would love to write a story someday about both my 3rd great grandfathers, but feel I'm lacking some crucial info on what may have made Henry do some of the things he did.

Henry Thompson Mcentire - Born in rutherford county North Carolina around 1825. Lived in subdivision 33 Gilmer county in 1850 and 1860 per census. 39th Ga company I 2nd Sergeant - March 4, 1862. Appointed 1st Sergeant September 1, 1863. Deserted. Took oath of allegiance to U. S. Government at Chattanooga, Tennessee April 16, 1864. Lived in subdivision 55 in Gilmer county in 1870 per census.

Lived in ball ground Murray county in 1880 per census.

In 1881 Henry Thompson McEntire and his son-in-law, William Henry Mathis were indicted regarding a murder in Murray County, Georgia. See Courthouse Minutes, Book B., pg. 44. Also see The Georgia Black Book, also filed in Atlanta, Ga. was $150.00 bounty on Henry T. McEntire's head. Later it was reported

that William Mathis was a witness to Henry T. killing a man named Orr in a distillary in the North Georgia mountains between Chatsworth and Elijay. William Mathis and Henry T. Mcentire fled the state of Georgia with their families in the middle of the night. William Henry Mathis name and used William Henry from

then on. Nanny McEntire confessed to this on her death bed. His descendants now go by Henry instead of Mathis.

Thanks for very much for your help, James Smith ([email protected]) Continued on Page 8


Fami ly Research Center ( C o n t i n u e d f r o m p g . 7 ) Looking for information on the exact location of the longtime home of Rev. Americus Mac Johnson b.1849 - d.1934 in East Ellijay, Gilmer County, Georgia. According to Gordon Ward in the book Annals of Upper Georgia Centered in Gilmer County, this Johnson house was near the site of the Fort Hetzel. Mr. Johnson's wife was Josepine Davis b.1856 - d. 1942 and she is found in the East Ellijay 1940 census living

with her daughter and son in law the McCleskeys. The McCleskeys later moved to Cobb County, Georgia. Another Johnson daughter married Bailus Monteville "Mont" Smith and many of the Smith's children continued to live in East Ellijay. I can be contacted at [email protected] -Danny Mashburn

I have been researching my families history for many years. I live in the state of Ohio and have been on Ancestry.com trying to trace the past. My question is there any way to tell what part of the county my ancestors would have lived in back in the late 1800's by the way the censuses were taken? Are there any reference books that would be more helpful in the library than what is on the internet? My ancestor that I

have been trying to research his name is William T Wilson. I have traced him back to 1840 in the NC, but he shows up in Gilmer County on the 1850s census through the 1870s and then he just disappears. If you have any further thoughts I would be most appreciate to hear them. Please email me at [email protected]. Thanks for your time.

Hi...I want to see if y'all can find information n pictures about my Granny. .Amanda Clare Wright..mother.

Sarah Teague...GRANDPA..William Floyd Lowman...THANKS . Email [email protected].

Frank Savage is looking for information regarding Berry-Colvard. Please email [email protected] with info.

My name is John T Roberts and I am searching for information on the following people; (Great Grandfather) James T Roberts, Born 1858 in Buncombe County, NC, Married 25 Aug. 1881 in Gilmer County to Sarah Jane Kell, 1861-1928, of Gilmer County. (Grandfather) Garrett Zemri Roberts, born 09 Aug 1890, Death 18 Mar 1964, Married Stella Maude Withrow, B 21 Jun 1895, D 25 Aug 1925, both in Gilmer County. Garrett and Stella are buried in Ellijay cemetery. My email address is, [email protected]

Bonnie Lassiter is looking on information about the Miltons of Ellijay. Contact her at [email protected]. My grandmother was Eathie Ernestine Milton Richards. She is the daughter of John Milton and Mary (Molly) Cox.

Continued on Page 9


March: • 10th - Gilmer County GCGSI Monthly Meeting at the Gilmer County Library at 2 PM. Speaker: Raland

J. (Pat) Patterson. He is a local Author and TV Host from Fannin County He has written several books including "Gravelly Gap" "Sugar Creek" and one on Vietnam, "Bear Cat" His family has been in Fannin County since the late 1800's. He retired from the U.S. Army after 22 years and also worked as a financial planner. He currently is the host of the very popular ETC TV3 Show - "Those Who Served".

• 25th - Library Closed • 27th - Library Closed

Genealogy Research Center Volunteers - Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Research Assistants: Karla Duke, Patricia Henson, and Rebecca Burrell. April: • 10th - 16th National Library Week • 13th - GCGSI Members provide an appreciation lunch for the staff of the Gilmer County Library. Set

up begins at 11:30 AM • 14th - Gilmer County GCGSI Monthly Meeting at the Gilmer County Library at 2 PM. Speaker is

Emily Beaman Beal. Emily is a member of D.A.R. and will be speaking on the things that the Daughters of the American Revolution do.

Genealogy Research Center Volunteers - Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Research Assistants: Sylvia Johnson, Shirley Sluder, Gladys Spivey Kathryn Watkins and the Research Team. May: • 12th - Gilmer County GCGSI Monthly Meeting at the Gilmer County Library at 2 PM. • 30th - Library Closed Genealogy Research Center Volunteers - Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Research Assistants: John Davis, Rebecca Burrell and the Research Team.

Fami ly Research Center ( C o n t i n u e d f r o m p g . 8 )

Bul let in Board

Paula Stokes is interested in obtaining an obit for Elias Franklin Weaver and his father, Henry Weaver. Please email her at [email protected].

Cathy Whitley at [email protected] is researching the Prince, Whitley, Hunton and Williams families.

We’re on the web! www.gcgsi.org

Contact email: [email protected]

The Gilmer County Genealogical Society, Inc. P. O. Box 919 Ellijay, GA 30540

• GCGSI Membership

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What I s Ava i lab le Onl ine?

The Gilmer County Genealogical Society, Inc. P. O. Box 919 Ellijay, GA 30540

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• 1834 and 1840 Census

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Documents

mountain heritage - gcgsi. · PDF file• Marriage Bonds of Duplin County N.C. 1749-1868 • Abstracts of Sampson County N.C. Wills - 1784-1895