Please note: This is one of our personal scrapbooks. As I have time and interest, more content may be added and corrections made . . . or not. As always, time and priorities are to be juggled, and too often I drop the balls. There is no endpoint to this page; the single common property of listed ones is that s/he is somehow important to us (relatives, neighbors, influential people, interesting people, and whomever else, depending on the mood). Please do not expect all the links to be active for any particular person. Search the Index Page for other information on these persons. For landowners, go directly to this link (land lots including the W.H. Outlaw Farm) or this link (land lots not including the W.H. Outlaw Farm). Please note that footnote references (superscript Arabic) are hyperlinked to the respective footnotes in this document. Footnotes terminate in links that direct back to the respective locations in the table. Other links, including those within Southern Matters, will open a new tab. To return from those, simply close the tab, e.g. ctrl W. Optimized for Firefox & Chrome, screen 1366 x 768. Please use this link to report errors or additions. Last edit: 2018-03-28
Cemeteries Referenced Above
Footnote 1. The entry is alphabetical by the surname that I would use to find this person. Otherwise, there's no rhyme or reason. Of course, one can simply search the page (ctrl F). Footnote 2. GPSs are only approximate, usually taken from a cell phone or sometimes from Google Earth. GPSs are intended to be "good enough," i.e., to assist in finding the cemetery entrance and limit the area in which one might search for a grave. Admittedly, my ambition falls short of where another's might. Footnote 3. The first "Marker" is an overall image (e.g., joint marker with spouse) of the gravemarker; the second is a tighter image, allowing the script to be read; and the third slot is for a special purpose marker, e.g. CSA. The first "Obit/Eul" (=obituary/eulogy) is the published obituary; the second is other text that might have been delivered in conjunction with burial or a memorial; and the third is for genealogical data (e.g., Huxford entry or McMillan entry). The first "Life Doc" is a birth certificate; the second is the death certificate; and the third provides for expansion. Of course, only a few of these links will be active--provision of death certificates in Georgia now is a revenue center, with exceptions. Sigh. I wish to acknowledge with the deepest appreciation resources that have made entries in this page much more meaningful to me. I have reproduced a limited number of special-purpose pages to remind myself of which individual is referenced. "Hux Link" refers to the vignette published in Pioneers of Wiregrass. Most of these were written by Folks Huxford, whose Nashville residence was in the neighborhood of my parents, and with whom they freely discussed his compilations; later volumes, which go further afield from Berrien, have been written by his successors. In my opinion, anyone with an interest in Berrien County pioneers must have access to this work. Purchasing the full set is one of the best investments I have made. Contact theHuxford Genealogical Society. "McM Link" refers to the vignette published in Record of Connell-Morris and Allied Families compiled by Berrien County native R.H. McMillan Jr. This is a marvelously detailed painstakingly compiled book, one that my mother contributed to, a fact that permitted me to make the acquaintance of Mr. and Mrs. McMillan. The Connells came to Berrien County very early and have untold descendants. It is a "must-have" for persons interested in the topic. (Don't loan it!) It is available from Mrs. Chris P. McMillan (daughter-in-law of the late authors) at 417 Park Ave N, Tifton, GA 31794. I also acknowledge gratefully the detailed field work of Sue and Johnny Hancock for their compilation of cemetery inscriptions; although my documentation includes visiting the graves myself, their book is my first go-to, and I are indebted in a special way to them. The Hancocks sell this book privately (117 Mary Lane, Rebecca, GA 31783). Wayne and Judy Dasher have reprinted "Clippings from the Nashville Herald" and "Wiregrass Obituaries & Death Notices," together summing to 20 volumes. Aside from specific information, which is there in abundance, there is an impression of the times that one obtains by perusing those pages. Use of any of that information is indicated. I highly recommend their reprints and wish I had purchased mine earlier. FMI, click here. Of course, compiling some of these data would not have been possible without the gracious assistance of the staff of the Berrien County Clerk's office and of Judge Griner and Bobby Swain. "SM Link" refers to example material available elsewhere on Southern Matters. Footnote 4. The above-ground crypts, the named markers, and the simple stone markers are all Laird burials. The stone markers were moved to the edge of the cemetery in the 1970s to facilitate maintenance. They were replaced by memory, also by the use of ground-penetrating radar. Footnote 5. We wish to gratefully acknowledge the informative tours of these cemeteries by local historian extraordinaire Judy Hammonds Bond. Footnote 6. Many thanks to Jerry Griffin for guiding me through this cemetery. Footnote 7. Solomon Griffin bought part of the W.H. Outlaw Farm, but as far as I can tell, this sale (1889) was in error--it was not owned by the person who sold it--and was never acted on. Footnote 8. The death certificate was lifted from Georgia's Virtual Vault. Footnote 9. WHO's 3dgreatgrandfather Moses G. Sutton Jr. donated the land for the church. Footnote 10. An interesting dividend of the death certificate is the knowledge that WHO's 3dgreatgrandfather John Ellis Connell apparently went by the name of Ellis (though legally, he was "John E. Connell" or "John E. Connell Sr.," the "Sr." presumably to distinguish him from John Enoch Connell). This is in accord with and indeed suggested by the naming of EC May (Ellis Connell May) after him. Judge May is discussed in Footnote 18 of one of our deed index pages. btw, it appears that Reubin Connell was named after his maternal grandfather, Rubin Marsh. mfr who RWC's spouse Malissa's death certificate is also at the Georgia Virtual Vault. Footnote 11. Please see Footnote 18 of one of our deed pages. Footnote 12. There are several interesting points about the death certificate. First, it is signed by Sam Watson, presumably decedant's brother. If so, we know then that Samuel W. Watson went by the name of "Sam." (I have always referred to him thus, but don't remember actually having been told that he went by that name. Maybe so, I forget a lot.) If so, curiously?, he give his address as Milltown (nka Lakeland). However, another Sam Watson possibly signed. . . . always, an "and, but." Sigh. Second, decedant's birthplace is given as N.C. We know, however, that his father Mark R. Watson came of age in South Georgia. In this record, the birthplace of Mark R. Watson is given as NC, but in the 1860 census record, he reports it as Georgia; Huxford is more specific, Emmanuel County, GA. Who can say? According to oral history, the family came down from NC to South Georgia, then returned to NC, and once again came to settle permanently in South Georgia. These movements may or may not have been correct. The birth place given for Joseph Watson is consistent with this oral history. Third, the birth date on the certificate should be 1841, not 1831. (. . . not only the math on the certificate, but also, his father, M.R. Watson, was born in 1816.) Fourth, the spouse should be Martha A. Lee, not Racheal (the name of his mother). Fifth, the certificate seems to be in a single hand, including signatures. Footnote 13. These are the dates given by Dr. L.A. Carter on the death certificate. The dates transcribed from the gravestone, made of concrete, by Sue & Johnny Handcock are b. 1923-2-28 and d. 1923-08-18. Footnote 14. McMillan indicates that Justus Connell raised his family on the Connell land just south of Nashville. I have the additional information following to offer: Justus Connell's name was also spelled Justice Connell (as inferred from Census Records that list children). Justus's children were born 1843-1864, and in a property transfer in 1860, it is clear that Justice Connell lived or had lived on Lot 192, Tenth District, originally Irwin, now Berrien County, which is east of Nashville. (Part of this land lot was in the SW Watson Homeplace and the WH Outlaw Farm joins 192 on the 192/193 line and on the 192/223 line.) Footnote 15. Merle Laird was not married to the fathers of her first two children (Pete A. & Betty J.), whose surnames were Laird. Before the marriage to Homer "Junior" Kiser, she had married WG Spangines (spelling?). Her first two children, mentioned in the previous sentence, were enumerated, 1940 FC, with the Spangines surname in the household of James M. Laird, but oral history indicates that he was the father of neither. Footnote 16. Marker 03 is the original marker; Aunt Lena (d. 1986) was anxious to replace her mother's, her father's and Granny Della's marker. Although he did not have a lot of enthusiasm for the project, Daddy did not object and contributed. My sense of nostalgia is stronger than my urge to modernize. Once I could drive, I enjoyed going to Empire alone and cleaning the old markers with acid. I still go to Empire pretty often. I get the feeling that Grandpa Buck and Grandpa Sam can hear me if I make the effort to go see them. I bring them up on the news, a death in the family, a happening, whatever. (This photograph was in Aunt Bessie's estate and I am indebted to Aunt Bessie's grandson, Wayne Mann, for access.) Obit/Eul 03 directs to a page that documents the events surrounding her murder. Life Doc 02&03 are her death certificate and death-certificate amendments. The life documents were obtained from familysearch.org. Footnote 17. Marker 03 is the original marker; see Footnote 16. Footnote 18. Obituary from the Berrien Press. mfr who completed death certificates ~1920s in GA Virtual Vault Footnote 19. Mrs. Snead, along with select others, notably Mrs. Ruby Brown, always welcomed me in her home, and I appreciate that. Some mothers were not so welcoming, and I remember that; once I sensed that my company did not please one, I never darkened her doors again. I am still very much that way. Footnote 20. Much of the genealogical information re the descendants of Ethelred Fountain came from this link accessed 2013-05-31. Footnote 21. Much of the genealogical information re the descendants of William Brantley Moseley Sr, incl. Mrs. BC Thompson, came from this link accessed 2013-05-31. Moseley sometimes, Mosley sometimes. Footnote 22. She was originally buried at Wilkes Cemetery, Toombs County, GA. Footnote 23. Not to be confused with Georgia Ann Thompson, her niece, daughter of Freeman. Footnote 24. Not to be confused with Mary Ann Mosley, her first cousin, daughter of Cuyler P. Mosley. Footnote 25. Not to be confused with Thomas Thompson, b. 1759, who lived in Montgomery County. Footnote 26. After training at Ft. Sill and following a short unit assignment there, I was transferred to the 10th Artillery at Fort Benning, GA, from 6/1967 until 4/1969. My first assignment was in the S3 shop as a green 2d Lieutenant. Afterwards, Conrad joined the battalion; he outranked me by about 6 months; I believe that he had returned stateside before completing a full tour in Viet Nam, but I am not aware of injuries he had. Together, we controlled the "fire" in training OCS candidates; thus, we ordered 5 firing batteries in different hidden locations when to fire (timing it precisely for jets from Eglin to fly through the gap in rounds to drop napalm on the field) and giving seat-of-the-pants adjustments on deflection and elevation. (After some practice, one develops a feel for how warm the tubes are, how the wind has changed, etc.) Sometimes, we worked together in one tower and sometimes we worked separately in two towers. The main thing is that we did not want to kill anyone as the candidates ran up the hill and we walked the high-explosive rounds just in front of them. Conrad and I were diligent, both focussed, in this nerve-racking job, and developed our own relationship, not friends really, but respectful colleagues. (Unfortunately, lives--8, I think--were lost on that training site in the summer after I left.) Anyhow, Conrad and I could not have been different--he, the gung-ho career soldier and one for which everything had to be bigger than life, and I, a citizen soldier anxious to start my civilian career. But, together we worked together sucessfully until there was a dearth of captains, and I was assigned as S1 (a job in which I faltered at first, but excelled later). The obituary reminds me so much of him. Many thanks to Richard Everhart, the battalion S2 officer, for sharing this document with me. (I note that Conrad was a 1st Lieutenant when I knew him, and thus the rank of Lt. Col. in 1969 is in error.) Footnote 27. Not to be confused with Tobe N. Norton Jr., who went by "Tom." Footnote 28. John H. Mosley's unit, the 47th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, was formed during the winter of 1861-62. Specifically, John was assigned to Company H ("Liberty Rangers"), 11th Battalion, Georgia Infantry, Army of Tennessee. Most of the men in Company H were from Glynn County, but many, including other Mosleys, were in this hard-fighting outfit. John was one of a reported seventeen Confederates who were killed at James Island, SC, on June 10, 1862. The parsimonious conclusion is that he was killed in the skirmish described following, which I have copied and editted from a Union report reproduced in The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I, Vol 47 Part I, 1895, by J.S. Moody et al. for the U.S. War Department. The relevant text is online here and several years ago, at least, when I bought my copy--thanks to Ken Christison for the recommendation--it was available on CD. (My fondness for these books began in the musty stacks of the St. Louis Library in the late 70s. Stacks were not open to the public, but I could roam at will with my Washington University faculty ID card. A quiet, lonely place I liked. That's a perk that one can't expect in many jobs. ) "HDQRS, U.S. Forces, Grimballs Plantation, James Island, ??? June 12, 1862. <para> Captain: I had the ??? on the 10th instant to inform you of an affair between our pickets and a force of the enemy, consisting of the Forty-seventh Georgia Regiment, supported by a reserve, the strength and character of which is not known. Since that time the report of the commander of the First and Second Brigades, First Division, and the report of casualties have been received, copies of which I inclose (sic). From the latter it will be seen that our loss was 3 killed and 19 wounded, 1 of whom has since died. The loss of the enemy must have been heavy, as we have buried 14 of his dead, and 6 of his wounded have been taken to our hospital, 2 of whom have since died. The enemy removed many of his wounded during the skirmish. <para> The forces actually engaged in the affair were five companies of the Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania Regiment, Colonel Quss??? commanding; two companies Forty-fifth Pennsylvania Regiment, Capt Hills commanding; two companies of the Forty-seventh New York Regiment, Captain McDonald commanding; and four pieces of Company E, Third U.S. Artillery, Captain Ransom commanding. The reserve of the artillery and the remainder of the pickets were not brought into acutal conflict with the enemy. All the troops engaged conducted themselves in the most admirable manner, evincing great steadiness and coolness. At no time was the line of pickets forced back [WHO: other reports indicate the pickets were pushed back], and the repulse was so decided that the enemy did not venture to renew it. <para> The naval vessels in the river kept up a continual fire over the heads of our men, and as their practice was excellent it must have occasioned much loss to the enemy's reserves. <para> We need have no occasion to doubt the reliability of our troops if they all behave as well under fire as did those engaged in this affair. Colonel Cuss???, of the Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania Regiment, in immediate command of the pickets, and the officers and men of his regiment are entitled to special mention, as are the officers and men of two companies of the Forty-seventh New York and the two companies of the Forty-fifth Pennsylvania actually engaged, and I need not say that the artillery sustained the well-earned reputation it enjoys. <para> Captain Hamilton, chief of artillery, did excellent service with the infantry after his artillery was posted, and received a ball, which happily occasioned only a slight contusion. From the vigor and persistance of the enemys attack, I thought a general engagement was imminent and had the forces disposed accordingly, but his attack in front was all he attempted." Other accounts of this skirmish can be found in The War of Rebellion . . . ." should one be interested. From the Southern side, an account is given in Bowers' compilation (Bowers W.A. Jr. 2013 The 47th Georgia Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Global Authors Publications: (city not given)). Having become disorganized, the Confederates thought they were beckoned by friends, and when they approached, they were cut down. Companies C and K took the worst of it; altogether, the Confederate losses were 65 killed, wounded or missing. I do not know the strength of the unit at that moment, probably 300-500, so this skirmish took a serious toll on the 47th. In and around these sterile words lies the fact that Grandmother Mary nee Mosley Thompson lost her brother on this terrible day and at the hands of other Americans. In the 1860 FC Montgomery County (Seward Post Office), GA, enumerated as No. 135, the J.H. Mosley family was well off, not the wealthiest, but toward the upper end. Living nearby (as Family 125), my 2d greatgrandparents the Berry C. Thompsons were among the wealthiest (owning property and 5 slaves, including a young woman who was insane). On the Slave Schedule for 1860, a "J. Moseley," lived near the Berry C. Thompsons and owned one slave. Recall that John was brother of Mrs. Berry C. Thompson (variously Mary or Margaret nee Mosley or Moseley). As mentioned in the table, quite probably Mrs. John H. Mosley (nee Edith "Eda" nee Thompson) was the sister of Berry C. Thompson (and one Ancestry tree is explicit). So, brother and sister married brother and sister, compounding the loss to the families. On an objective basis, the irony is inescapable: a man in the Liberty Rangers would die for his right to own others. (As far as I know, only one other of my direct ancestral lines was a slave holder, viz. Claiborn Carroll, Lowndes County, Georgia, the father of my greatgrandmother Outlaw.) I do not know whether John's body was returned or whether this is simply a marker. He left a widow, who did not remarry, and seven children. Footnote 29. Marie's obituary is from the McAlester (Oklahoma) News-Capital. Footnote 30. He is buried with his third wife, Rebecca nee Hall. WHO descends from his first wife, Julia nee Luke (d/o William Luke, b. 1812), who is buried in an unmarked grave at Bushy Creek (Ocilla cf. Cook). Thanks to John Roberts for this information. I have used his death date from the death certificate, not the grave marker. The death certificate indicates he died Jun 8, 1923, was buried Jun 9, 1923, and that the certificate was filed on Jul 7, 1923. It seems clear that the marker is wrong. His birth date on his death certificate is inconsistent with his calculated age, so I defaulted to the gravemarker (a minor discrepancy in any case: both would have been Jan 1848). Death certificate and marriage license were from State of Georgia Archives. Footnote 31. Relationship information was taken from the Faircloth-Lanier family tree on Ancestry (http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/72439425/family?cfpid=40275508061, accessed 2014-12-07) Footnote 32. In the 1900 FC GMD 518 Irwin County (Georgia) wife Emma Boyakin self-reports a DOB of Feb 1876, and her husband J. ? self-reports a DOB of Jan 1867. Neither unambiguously matches the respective marker. The Janet Pope Family Tree on Ancestry ( accessed 2014-12-07) indicates that his name was James H. Boykin & DOB per FC and the spouse was Emma E. nee Sullivan, DOB 1874 in White Springs, Florida. (Her middle initial is variously “E” or “F;” her marker is clearly “F.”) Paulk records the marriage on Nov 7, 1896, consistent with the FC. Emma died Jun, 1900 (marker) and Paulk records that James Boykin married Lucy Williams Nov 27, 1901. Paulk indicates that J.H. Boykin married Ellar (sic?) Suggs on Mar 20,1921 (Ella nee Luke Suggs?). The Poduch-Pugh-Silverman family tree, accessed 2014-12-07, on Ancestry shows that James H. Boykin was the son of William Davis Boykin, which see. His death listed on the marker, Oct 30, 1965, apparently is correct, and his marker should have indicated he was 97, not 79, at death. Footnote 33. "Irwin County, Georgia. To every ordained minister of the gospel, Judge of the Superior Court, Justice of the Inferior Court or Justice of the Peace. You are hereby authorized to join James Boykin and Lucinda Tucker in the holy state of matrimony according to . . . . " Thanks to RCVinson, who originally posted (accessed 2014-12-08) on Ancestry. I could not find it in the index, but knowing it was there, I manually searched the records and made this copy (pg 55-56, of the Irwin County Marriage books)). Issued Sep 17, 1845, when Lucinda was 16. The Clerk of the Court was William M. Kennedy (from J.B. Clements, History of Irwin County). Footnote 34. Heisenberg has his Uncertainty Principle and I have mine, but here is what seems to fit. The article states that the fugitive Jasper Outlaw of Ozark (Alabama) was living with Will Luke of Nashville (GA). "Will Luke" is a common name, but to the best of my knowledge, only one Will Luke was enumerated in Nashville, GA, in 1910. (There was another age-appropriate William Luke in Berrien County, though, who lived in Enigma, and several with the initial "W," e.g. Shafter W. Luke, who lived in Berrien.) The Will(ie) Luke in Nashville was the husband of Maggie nee Outlaw, grandfather L.G. Outlaw's sister. Jasper's living with his relative is in accord with conversations that I have with Aunt Lena nee Outlaw Rowan, who told me that for years there was correspondence between the Alabama Outlaws, as she referred to them; specifically, I remember well that she mentioned long "visits" by Willie Outlaw (image to be posted), son of John Outlaw (half-brother of greatgrandfather W.H.H. Outlaw; image is presumed with good evidence to be this John Outlaw). In conclusion, the parsimonious conclusion is that Jasper jumped bail from Dale County (Alabama) and sought refuge with his relatives in Nashville, GA. On inquiry, I learned that the records of the Dale County Clerk's office do not go back far enough to shed further light. The life dates are from his grave marker. (I have tracked the census records, &c., and believe that this is the correct Jasper Outlaw.) The life dates are similar to other sources, but not exact. But, there was another (related) Jasper Outlaw. Footnote 35. Her name was spelled in several different ways (one way is shown on the marker, another in the obituary), including Fairby. She could not write her name, placing an "X" on pension applications, so there's no guidance there. Footnote 36. The cemetery is located at 31° 05' 46.7" N,
83° 17' 54.1" W. Footnote 37. Errors creep into books, especially those that rely on oral traditions and scant records. Thus, the entry for Newton Sutton is substantively incorrect in McMillan (pg 928). He lists five children for Newton and Feraby nee Mullis Sutton: viz. No. 1. Mary, No. 2. Jerry S., No. 3. Jeremiah, No. 4. Sarah, and No. 5. Martha. No. 1 Mary is correct; also known as Polly, she married Stephen Milton Lewis. Nos. 2 & 3 refer to the same individual, my greatgrandfather. No. 4 Sarah is correct; she married William Arthur Giddens. No. 5 Martha is incorrect; she will be discussed later in this footnote. McMillan cites the Berrien 1870 FC for evidence for his list of family members, but this citation is in error. (Possiby, McMillan's source for Martha was Huxford's profile (3:266) on Hiram Ray, in which Hiram's son Thomas J. Ray (b. 1859) reportedly married Martha Sutton, d/o Newton Sutton. This false relationship, i.e., Martha d/o Newton & Feraby Sutton, has been propagated across many public trees on Ancestry.com.) Another child, Irvin, is not listed in McMillan. The evidence for Irvin is explicit: the Berrien FC 1870 enumerates the impoverished family (No. 697) of CSA-widowed Feraby Sutton (age 36) with 3 children: Polly (age 12), Jerimiah Sutton (age 9) and Sarah (age 7). In the Mortality Schedule, 1870, which is linked in the chart above as as Obit/Eul 03, the entry for Irvin is marked with an asterisk; he died of typhoid pneumonia at age 11. Note that he is enumerated as Family 697. Moreover, the memorial for Polly Lewis (Obit/Eul 03) by WG Avera mentions Irvin. (The mortality schedule was completed before the census.) Aside from Huxford and McMillan, as stated, I cannot find evidence for Martha as a child of Newton and Feraby Sutton. As mentioned above, only three children were shown in the 1870 FC. Because of the impoverished state of the Feraby-Sutton family, I checked for census indices for a Martha Sutton in another household, but without success. Siblings of Polly Lewis are listed in the cited memorial, above, but Martha is not among them. In addition, the obituary for Feraby, written by her granddaughter Belle ("Fannie B.") lists 19 surviving grandchildren, which are accounted for by those of Polly (8, plus one deceased=Ardelia), those of my greatgrandfather Jerry (7, plus one deceased=Joseph), and those of Sarah (5 listed in 1900 FC; in an undated note, Mama listed 3 of Sarah's children, viz. Charlie Giddens, Newt Giddens, and Howell Giddens, who died in a wreck on the Adel Highway). On the same page of the Mortality Schedule listing Irvin, two other asterisks label Nancy Watson, age 27, and Georgian (= "Georgia A"), age 24, who also died of typhoid pneumonia. These young women were my greatgrandfather Samuel W. Watson's older sisters. These had to have been bad times: my 2d greatgrandfather Mark R. Watson lost two grown daughters to disease, one son in the military, and a spouse in a ten-year period. A transcript of the mortality schedule is here. Footnote 38. My greatgrandparents WHH "Dick" and MF nee Carroll Outlaw are in the center of a line of markers of relatives. Three unmarked homemade concrete markers of children are in this line. Katie Mae nee Luke Griffin (granddaughter/o Maggie nee Outlaw Luke, who is in this lineup) informed me that Marion and Stella Luke (her uncle and aunt, who are also in the lineup) had 3 stillborn children and that she thinks these unmarked graves are of the children (pers comm 2015-01-12). That fits. Footnote 39. Special thanks to Mary Lou and Talmadge Sutton for the memorial document for Polly Sutton. The W.H. Outlaw Farm (named after my father) consists of all of the Buck Sutton Old Homeplace and a portion of the original SW Watson Farm. Land transactions are documented here. Development of the Stephen Lewis Place, later SW Watson Place, is described by Christine nee Watson Outlaw here. Footnote 40. Granny Eliza ("Lizzer") married Grandpa Buck after Grandma Susie died, but he and Eliza had only one child, which did not survive childhood (I do not recall more at the moment). Granny Eliza was thus the stepmother of Granny Della and her siblings. I remember hearing that the siblings loved Eliza as a mother. Indeed, many years ago, Mama raised money to have Eliza's monument installed (& at the same time, do for Belle's). (See Mama's records here). Skipping ahead a few decades, Talmadge and Mary Lou Sutton arranged for her slab to be restored, and I contributed. I have only a scant personal memory of Granny Eliza-- I was five when she died. She was bedridden in Lenox (at Aunt Ellen's?) and died there. We visited as she was nearing death and she was in a dark bedroom and I remember being admonished to keep quiet. It was a little spooky for a child, a place where life was suspended. After she died, the body was brought back to the home and as was the custom, people stayed up around the clock until burial. Vistors poured in and out and being the rural South food poured in, too. Mama and Daddy stayed one night and I was put in the back seat of the car to sleep. The car was near the front porch, so it was noisy for some time (funerals then and to a lesser extent now were venues for catching up with long-lost relatives and friends). As the night grew, the crowds thinned, and I was a little afraid to be in the car. The mosquitos were just terrible, which is one of my most vivid memories of the event. Footnote 41. The Church Empire minutes of July 21, 1866, record that she was received by letter from Wayfare Church. Footnote 42. I see this name spelled with and without the "e," thus Oakey and Oaky. I believe the building is currently used as a Missionary Baptist Church. Footnote 43. The Valdosta Times obituary indicating that she was survived by two grandchildren is in error. Footnote 44. THIS FOOTNOT IS NOT READY FOR YOU TO READ YET. SUBSTANTIAL REINTERPRETATION LIKELY. John E(noch) Connell (b. 1836 & son of Samuel Connell, which see) and John E(llis) Connell (b. 1821 & my 3d greatgrandfather), both being "John E. Connell" from Berrien, are easily confused. McMillan, e.g., indicates that John Ellis Connell was Sheriff of Berrien County from 1858-1861, Justice of the Peace from 1862-1864, and was Tax Collector from 1864-1866 (pg 458, see life-document link). In contridiction, McMillan states that John Enoch Connell was Sheriff of Berrien County from 1858-1861 and was elected Tax Collector when he returned from the war and held that office until he died (1900). (McMillan also listed parenthetically an alternative name, Jack E., for John Enoch.) Earlier, I surmised, on the basis of deed transfers--that John Ellis Connell (who went by "Ellis") was "John E. Connell" or "John E. Connell Snr" and John Enoch Connell was "John E. Connell Jr" usually. Though the latter was not John Ellis' son, it would be a convenient way for them to be distinguished. This added suffix to the name is not really outlandish: I added the Junior to my birth-certificate name, after experimenting with "III" for a while. Daddy and I were both "William H. Outlaw," but the middle initial stood for different names, Henry and Harrison, respectively, thus a precisely parallel situation. Now, I have two direct lines of evidence to support my inference. (1) I turned to a contemporary, namely L.E. Lastinger (Co. K, 29th Ga Rgt), who published the pamphlet Confederate War, a list of Berrien men who were in the CSA. Mr. Lastinger compiled this list on the basis of his own knowledge, what he learned from others, and from official records. He lists "John E. Connell Jr." in the Berrien Light Infantry (Co I, 50th Rgt, Georgia Volunteer Infantry, Army of Northern Virginia). We will come back to John Enoch's record in the CSA. Listed by Lassinger in this unit were many other Connells, e.g. John Ellis' son, Berry J. (twice), but no other John E. Connell. Lastinger indicated his list is not complete and, indeed, it does not include, e.g., my 2d greatgrandfather Newton J. Sutton (Pvt, Co. H., 26th Rgt (13th Rgt), Ga Vol), who was wounded Dec 13, 1862 at Fredricksburg and died of disease on Nov 17, 1864, in Stanton. July 29, 1867, John E. Connell Jr. signed the Reconstruction Oath. John E. Connell (Berrien Co., Georgia, dob na) enlisted in Co. G, Georgia 29th Infantry Regiment, on Sept 9, 1861 (U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865). Was this Ellis??? in all likelihood mfr who=unit of moses g sutton, aka 30th
Beginning Nov 22d, 1879, J. E. Connell (Co, I, 50th) of Berrien County, Georgia, submitted an application on the basis of being a maimed soldier (State of Georgia Archives). (And, after he died, his wife, Eliza nee McCranie, submitted a widow's application.) D(avid) P(erry) Luke, Captain of his unit, signed his affidavit. Connell, at the time 2d Sergeant, had been wounded by a Minnie ball in the left arm above the elbow at Gettysburg on Jul 2d, 1863, and his arm was amputated about an inch from his shoulder. As an incidental point, his brigade commander, Paul Jones Semmes, was mortally wounded that day leading a charge at the wheatfield. The exact position of the Georgia 10th is plotted on this graphic and later in this graphic. Some of the bloodiest fighting took place at this spot; it is really hard to imagine, though I tried many years ago when Nedra and I visited this very spot. By war's end, he had been promoted to Full Comm Sergeant (U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865, "grocery clerk and stores manager"). This John E. Connell was, in my view, unquestionably John Enoch Connell, s/o Samuel and Mary Connell. I've seen Mary's maiden name as Keen and as Steele and do not know which, if either, is correct. Documentation for the assertions in this paragraph not already referenced are found here. On Sept 10, 1904, John E. Connell (Co. G, 29th) of Berrien County, dob 1846, submitted an application of the basis of indigence (State of Georgia). He self-reported that he had enlisted in Co. G, Georgia 29th Infantry Regiment in 1863. He submitted that he was captured on Aug 7th, 1864, and sent to Camp Chase, Ohio, where he remained until the war closed. His witness was Boney Roe. The documents reveal that he did not own property and he signed with his mark. This John E. Connell was, in my view, unquestionably the son of Justus and Rebecca Jane nee Rowe Connell. Thus, as for John Enoch Connell, he was the nephew of John Ellis Connell, b. 1821, recall my 3d greatgrandfather. This John E. Connell does not play directly into this thread and will not be mentioned further. Lastinger op.cit. did not mention him. Likewise, another John E. Connell (1877-1949) of Berrien County and generally of the same era will not be mentioned further. This seems to be a clear-cut case in which John Enoch Connell was known locally with a "Junior" appended to his name.
out of order. There is the question of where John Ellis and Nancy Marsh Connell were buried. I have two references (not counting www accounts that probably stem from them). First, Ensley (full citation in FN 45) indicated that they were buried in Cross Roads cemetery. He indicates--Section U--that he did not actually find the graves of these two, but had evidence from external sources for their interment there. (I assume that "Section U" means "unmarked.") Second, obviously, Ensley's source was McMillan because he repeats the same incorrect (and improbable) death date of Nancy Marsh Connell, i.e., 1896, as did McMillan. (Huxford gives Nancy Marsh Connell's death as 1866, and John Ellis Connell married Missouri nee Walters Knight in Aug, 1869, Paulk op. cit.) This is another case, I believe, of McMillan confusing John Ellis Connell with John Enoch Connell, who is buried at Cross Roads. It does not seem logical that John Ellis would bury Nancy at a good distance, in a small new cemetery, with no church, and where she had no connections. (John Ellis and Nancy's daughter, Sarah J. Connell Young, is buried at Cross Roads Cemetery, where many Youngs are buried. According to McMillan, Sarah died in Sep 1, 1886, or about 2 decades after Nancy died.)
Footnote 45. Please reference Ensley (Ensley, Dillard D. 2000 A survey of cemeteries Cook County Georgia August 2000. 2000 publisher unk, accessed in the Carrie Dorsey Perry Memorial Library, Nashville, GA), to whom I am grateful. Ensley provided a brief history of Cross Roads Cemetery and the nearby church, which are separate entities. Mr. Ensley indicated that the earliest extant (marked) grave is 1864 and that the church was not built until at least 1885. Mr. Ensley apparently misread the grave of Littleton Albritton Young, who died in 1964 (not 1864). The oldest photographed grave that I saw on Findagrave was that of Leonard J. Young, who died in 1887. (As an incidental point, Littleton Albritton Young (1880-1964) was the brother of Leonard J. Young, and thus both were grandsons of John Ellis and Nancy Marsh Connell via their daughter Sarah, who as mentioned elsewhere died in 1886, according to McMillan. These data call into question whether the original church was not affiliated with the cemetery. Findagrave lists this cemetery as Cross Roads PB Church Cemetery, but I think that this name is in error (Ensley indicated the building was founded as a Methodist Episcopal Church, later housed a Wesleyan Methodist Church, and--when he wrote the book--indicated it housed the congregation of Cross Roads Holiness Church. Also, and of interest to me, he mentioned that it was known as Lindsey Graveyard at least by some. The earliest graves that I saw were those of Young, Britt, and Tison. Footnote 46. Most of these dates are taken from the painstaking work of Johnny and Sue Handcock (H). Some are from Findagrave (FG). With much appreciation to all who contributed. Footnote 47. The second earliest death date on a marker is that of my 3d greatgrandmother, Louisa Sutton (1857-03-26, Mrs. Moses G. Sutton, Jr.). As one infers, she is on my Sutton line, but, she is in addition, as the daughter of Dawson Webb, on a separate Outlaw line as well. According to the Griffin papers (V II, p 83), the absolute earliest burial is that of Clayton Jones in 1833. Mr. Griffin reported that Jones died of severe burns from log heaps formed from clearing a field. Clayton was the first husband of Mallisa Rowland (Roland), the half-sister of Mark R. Watson, my 2d greatgrandfather, Mama's side. As perspective, Empire Church itself was only formed in 1854 (church minutes), a break-away from Union Church (of the Suwanne River Primitive Baptists Association). Footnote 48. Blackstone Mullis is said to be buried in an unmarked grave at Cat Creek Cemetery (Lowndes County, GA); he married Mary when he was 18 and she, 15-16 (marriage records on Ancestry). He might have married a year earlier to Pollie Ann Bennett, but that reference has been removed from the internets. I do not know the fate of Blackstone's 1st wife, if indeed he married before to Mary. Mary and Blackstone "Mullice" both self-reported as being born in NC as were the older listed children on the 1850 Clinch (Lowndes) County, GA FC. (I think this area became part of Lanier County, but need to study it further.) Thus, this couple moved as a family sometime between 1836 and 1847 from NC to GA. He was a farmer and he--but not she--could read and write. James Newsome lived with them as did laborer David Hagan. Note that Benjamin Sirmans (b. ~ 1792) was a near neighbor. (This Benjamin was the first son of Josiah and Hardy nee Hardeman Sirmans, and thus Benjamin's brother Jonathan (b. 1800) was stepfather to my 2d greatgrandfather Mark R. Watson). Lots of connections could be made had one the time. Footnote 49. In 2017, the church building was sold to a private party, who torn it down and salvaged the lumber.
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