compiled by Lila McGee Gobbell

Thanks to all of you who renewed your 2004-2005 membership so promptly. As always, we appreciate your submissions of family articles and pictures to be used in the Journal. Correction – Dalton Noblit had a much better copy of record of the Welch Family Bible Records in the Vol. 8 No. 1 issue of the Journal, and was able to set the record straight. On pgs. 26, and 27 most of the McAnallys should read McMackin and there were several dates that were off just a little. The Journal regrets the errors and welcomes this opportunity to set the record straight.

White Family Bible Records – Grandparents: S. T. White died Jan 1924 in Florence Ala and buried in Florence, Ala. Martha M. White born May 15, 1842 and died Dec 24, 1900 at West Point and is buried in Blair Cemetery. R. A. McMackin born Feb 8, 1858 and died Mar 6, 1934 and is buried in Mr. Nebo. Mandy McMack??? Died 1878 at West Point. Amanda Jessie Blythe. [continues through 1996]. This bible records Religious Pursuasion, when and where converted/confirmed and Baptized by Whom.

Williams Family Bible Records – Alfred Ogilvie Williams was born March 2^nd 1826. Martha Matilda Williams was born August 26^th 1831. Alfred O. & Martha Matilda Williams was married August the 11^th 1846 (m.2) Alfred O. Williams and Mary Fannie Mallory Vestal were married at Walnut Street Church in Louisville KY on 28^th March 1865. William Williams father of Alfred O. Williams died Sept 26, 1840 of Coleramorhes??? In the 67^th year of his age. [In the Deaths it relates what each person died of]

Appendix 2 – Descendants of James LeRoy Martin born March 29, 1832, in Marshall County, Tennessee, and died September 8, 1864, during the Civil War. He married (1) Emeline Rushing and (2) Ellen McMillan 1850 in Decatur County, Tennessee.

Appendix 3 – Descendants of Winiford Pierce born January 6, 1826 in Lawrence County, Tennessee, and died December 19, 1906, in Henderson County, Tennessee. She married John Bunyan Martin September 30, 1845, in Lawrence County, Tennessee. [There are over four pages of descendants of this couple].

A list of people whose First Families Applications have been approved since we ran a list a few years ago. The listing is Ancestors, Applicant, Time Frame. After your application is approved, a nice certificate is issued with the applicants name, ancestor and spouses name, and the date they were in Lawrence County. Send in the application and proof with $10 fee to Lawrence County Archives at 218 N. Military Ave., Suite B-1, Lawrenceburg, TN, 38464-3326

The listing of those who have become First Families of Lawrence Co., in addition to those listed in the Fall 2002 issue of the Journal, shows that many members have taken the time and gone to the effort to submit proof of their ancestor’s presence in Lawrence County, Tennessee. Why not take the time to research your ancestors and qualify for this distinct honor?

The meeting was called to order at 1:30 p.m. by President Wallace Palmore. Rick Fleeman gave the Treasury Report with a balance of $13,579.38. Old and New business was taken care of. Two new members, Ardeen Walters and Jason Goodrich were elected to the board. Bobby Alford presented a program on the Alford family and their travels to America and then to Tennessee.

Bonds, Choate, McIntyre: Contact Donald Ray Murks, P.O. Box 573, Florence, AL, 35631

The meeting began at 2:25 with seven members present. New business: Election of officers was conducted with Wallace Palmore, President, Jason Goodrich, Vice-President, Kathy Niedergeses, Chair-Person, Rick Fleemon, Treasurer and Mary Todd as Secretary.

It’s time to start making plans to attend the Lawrence County Genealogical Society Family History Fair. The fair will be held on the fourth Saturday in June 2005. Bring your family files, computers, pictures, etc. and share with others.

The two top pictures are from an earlier period. The first is an older couple with an American flag between them and the second is a formal photograph of an older gentleman. The bottom photo is a family group taken around 1900. [It might be a "Clayton" family.]

February Term 1845 through April Term 1845

Drury Basham, Administratrix Settlement; Robert W. Appleton, Guardian; Robert Haynes, Last Will and Testament; Robert F. Walker, Hire of Negroes; Jesse Hammonds, Guardian Settlement;

Jacob Blythe, Sale Bill; John Ray, Sale Bill; William G. Hammonds, Administrator Settlement; David May, Guardian Settlement; William Basham, Guardian Settlement; John McMasters, Guardian Settlement; James C. Tays, Estate Inventory; Robert Haynes, Sale Bill; Anne McAnnally, Administrator Settlement; Thomas Montgomery, Administrator Settlement; Robert Haynes, Widow’s Year Sustenance. (To be continued in the Spring 2005 issue of the Journal)

Some material is word for word, but some of the lengthy reports on money matters and petitions have been abstracted. Original spelling, capitalization and punctuation has been retained as much as possible. With this segment, Kathy begins with the January 1880 term of court and continues through October 1889. From County Court Minute Book April 1879 –January 1884 through County Minute Book February 1884-June 1887. [For this time period] January 5, Term 1880. The undersigned Poor House commissioners for Lawrence County have received bids for Paupers and have awarded them as follows for the year 1880. [a few examples]

Name of Pauper Term of Court Care Taker/Action/Amt. Page.

David Burnes (insane pauper) October 1881 Joseph Wisdom allowed $25.00 309

Sarah Bradley (coffin) October 1881 D. L. Kelly allowed $3.00 309

Hardy Crews April 1882 W. H. Dustin & Co., $1.00 353 (for buryal goods)

Pauper (inquest) April 1883 H. B. Sowell allowed $5.00 458

Monday, April 7, 1884 Term. It is ordered by the court that the committee heretofore appointed by this court composed of Esq. Vandiver Sowell & Luna are by the court instructed to purchase a certain tract of land of acres from Dr. R. H. Harvey on long branch in the 5 Civil Dist of Lawrence County at the price of $125.00 for which said amount of $125 the Judge of this court is directed to issue a county warrant in payment of said $125.00 when said committee shall have perfected said tract & taken a warranty deed from said Harvey to the county of Lawrence for the ends and purposes for which said committee was created and that said committee will proceede to have the necessary improvements made on the houses & c for the comfort & keeping of the county pauper’s that may be assigned to said poor house when erected. (To be continued in the Spring 2005 issue of the Journal)

This view of the northeast side of the public square in Lawrenceburg was taken from the roof of the courthouse in 1920 by photographer G. W. Landrum of Florence, AL. Articles by Mrs. Docia Spann Richardson, Charlie Crawford, James T. Crews, Dr. Charles G. Stockard, several other sources help to visualize the square as it was in the time period 1918-1922. A majority of this side of the square burned in 1891 and again in 1898, so none of the buildings were built prior to 1898.

Martha Hicks Pierce and her friend Janet Bailey Bryant of Stuttgart, Arkansas County, AR, came to the first Lawrence County Genealogical Society Family Fair in 1998 and began the search for their Tennessee roots. Martha’s father Frank Marion Hicks was born 1895 in Summertown, Lawrence Co., TN. He was the oldest child of Saney Willard Hicks and Kathryn Elizabeth Lacher. This family had headed for Hunter, Woodruff Co., AR, on Nov. 1^st, 1909, taking 14 days to drive out with four wagons and teams. During the author’s lifetime, trips were made back to Lawrence and Wayne Counties to visit relatives. In 1998, a relative, Billy Joe Hicks took them to Summertown and to Barnesville Cemetery where David Ruel Hicks and Sarah Annie Hicks are buried. Billy Joe and his mother, Madie Lee Hicks shared family research with the author. The history of the family started in 1800 in Anson Co. NC, and then Orange Co., NC, before they moved to TN.

The Genealogists, Vol 18, No. 2, Fall 2004, published by The American Society of Genealogists; c2004. Contains genealogies of several families submitted by various authors. Included is the 32 page history of the Massey family that William W. Massey, Jr. submitted.

Bailey Memories, compiled by Janet Bailey Bryant; 2004. William Bailey was b. abt. 1750 in Ireland and married Hannah Smith about 1770. The Bailey and Bentley families were in Lawrence Co., TN, by 1821 or earlier.

Joseph Voss of North Carolina and some of His Descendants 1752-1900, by James Reford Voss; c2004. Joseph Voss, Sr. b. 1720-1723, married Mary before 1744. As a result of his service in the Rev. War, Joseph Voss, Jr. received a land grant in Dickson Co., TN, in 1808. The author descended through Ezekiel, son of John Voss, and grandson of Joseph Voss, Jr.

Perry Family Memories, by Mary Ann Matthews and Rex D. Matthews; c2004. John George Perry b. in VA about 1793, married Elizabeth on November 2, 1817. Their descendants migrated from Winston County, AL, to Lawrence County, TN, around 1915-1918. The children of Joe and Annie Perry, all seven boys and one girl raised their families in Lawrence County, TN.

New Members: Joanne F. Duffy researching Bernauer, Haverkamp

Mary Jane Mancuso researching Cayce, Dodson

Ruby D. Matney researching Pennington, King Bohannon, Newton, Sisson

Robert Stevens researching Altum, Keeling

Dianne P. Story researching Gray, Lee, Lindsey, Mansel, Pierce, Webb, Perkins

Changes: a number of changes in addresses and e-mail addresses.

This is the first in a sequence of articles containing obituaries and death announcements found mostly in Lawrence County, TN newspapers. The time span is 1840’s through 1890’s.  [Examples]

Sarah Adkins, widow of William Adkins, d/o Joseph and Rebecca Surger, VA-(Giles County, TN)

Mrs. Nancy Anderson, m/o Robert Anderson

William J. Andrews,

Ward Anthony, s/o J. G. Anthony

Mrs. Eliza Anthony, w/o J. G. Anthony

Booker Bailey  

Judith Catharina, d/o Mr. And Mrs. Samuel Beckham, Sr.

Samuel Beckham, Sr.

Nathan Belew

William Belew

Tucker L. Bentley

Clarence Berry, s/o John and Renda Berry

(To be continued in the spring 2005 issue of the Journal)

last updated April 14, 2008                            Return to Main Page