52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: I Completed the Challenge!!

That was it! #52 was just posted! Blogger, Amy Johnson Crow challenged bloggers to write about 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks and I took it a bit farther and wrote only about those related to my Hairston family. I wanted to prove (or disprove) that Hugh Brown Hairston was the father of my great-great-grandfather, John L. Hairston. I did not achieve the goal, but my Hairston research is very well organized. And, I certainly know much more about John L. Hairston, my great-grandfather, Phillip A. Hairston, his siblings, possible cousins, and the Hairston family in general. 

However, I am not finished. I haven't even begun writing about John L. Hairston's daughter, Permelia Hairston Noah, and her family. There are more Hairston family members in Alabama and Arkansas that also need attention and several of my 52 ancestors need to be revisited.

I will continue to number the ancestors and add them to my family chart. It won't be "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks" as that pace was much too difficult. Instead, you will see one or two new Hairston posts a month with the title "Beyond 52 Ancestors."

Thank you to Amy Johnson Crow for creating the challenge and to all of you who read and shared my posts! 

Diana

© 2014

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #52 John Lewis Hairston - A Timeline

The solid lines indicate that the connection to the family is documented while
the dotted lines indicate that direct evidence has not yet been found to
make the connection. Click on the family tree to see a larger image.

No Story Too Small

1812 - #52 John Lewis Hairston was born about 1812 in South Carolina. If his parents are said to be #11 Hugh Brown Hairston and #29 Sarah McElhaney, he was probably born in Abbeville. 

1820 - Hugh B. Hairston and family were thought to be living in Elbert County, Georgia in 1820 as H. B. Hearston was found on that county's 1820 United States census record. Those thought to be the children of Hugh B. Hairston and Sarah McElhaney are #26 James McElhaney, John Lewis, #22 Robert, #25 Vinson (also seen as Vincent), #12 Sam (also seen as Samuel), #18 Rebecca, #15 Jane, and #14 Mary.

A true return of the children of the 19th
Company District between the ages of 8 and 18
whose parents have not paid a tax of fifty cents
May 19, 1823

1823 - In 1823, John L. Hairston was found on a list of students whose parents had not paid a school tax in Elbert County, Georgia.  Listed with John L. was a James M. Hairston and a Rebecca A. Hairston also thought to be the children of Hugh Brown Hairston. #27 William T. Hairston was unknown prior to this record.

1832 - John L. Hairston, along with Hugh Brown Hairston, of Butts County, were granted land in the 1832 Cherokee Land Lottery. 

1835 -  J. L. Hairston and H. B. Hairston shared a note due to be paid on the estate of Sterling Camp, of Butts County, on July 1, 1835.

1836 - J. L. Hairston and H. B. Hairston shared a note due to be paid on the estate of Sterling Camp on December 25, 1836.

1838 - In Meriwether County, Georgia, John L. Hairston sold land situated in Butts County, Georgia to his said to be brother, James M. Hairston of Meriwether County, on November 8, 1938.  

1839 - Hugh Brown Hairston owned the north-east half of Lot 81 in the 1st District of Butts County while John L. Hairston owned the adjoining South-West half of Lot 81. In May of 1839 this land was auctioned to pay debts owed to John Hall and others. 

1840 - Daughter, #20 Mary Hairston was born between 1840 and 1842 in Arkansas.

1843 - Daughter, Permelia Hairston was born on March 15, 1843 in Bradley County, Arkansas.

1845 - Daughter, #9 Sarah Jane Hairston was born in Arkansas.

1846 - Son, #8 William Hairston was born in about 1846. He is only found, at age four, on the 1850 census of Hinds County, Mississippi. 

From the Hinds County Tax Rolls - 1848

1847 John L. Hairston and said to be brothers, Vinson and Robert Hairston, paid taxes in Hinds County, Mississippi. Robert and Vinson paid the $.50 required of each male. John paid the $.50 and tax of $1.20 on "two slaves under the age of sixty."

1848  John L. Hairston and said to be brothers Vinson and Robert Hairston paid taxes in Hinds County, Mississippi. They owned no property, but males between the ages of 20 and 50 were taxed $.50. 

1849 - Daughter, # 10 Adeline Hairston, was born about 1849 in Mississippi. She is last found on the 1860 census with her family in Hinds County. 

1850 - John L. Hairston appeared with family on the 1850 United States census record in Hinds County, Mississippi. His wife was named as Eliza (#51).

Phillip A. Hairston with wife,
Lodema Criswell and daughter, Myrtie
about 1892

1852 - Son, #7 Phillip A. Hairston was born May 17, 1852 in Hinds County, Mississippi. 

1855 - On December 8, 1855, John L. Hairston purchased land in Hinds County for $300 from Dudley D. Williams – both parties were residents of Hinds County.

1858 - Daughter, #34 Martha Elizabeth "Mattie" Hairston was born on August 2, 1858.

1860 - John L. Hairston appeared with family on the 1860 United States census record in Hinds County, Mississippi.

1861 - John Lewis Hairston paid taxes on 120 acres of land valued at $480 in Hinds County.

1864 - Mary Hairston married # 21 Thomas B. Gilbert in Hinds County on September 19, 1864.

1865 - Permelia Hairston married Joseph Sidney Noah on June 11, 1865 in Hinds County, Mississippi. 

On October 10, 1865, John L. Hairston and his wife Louiza of Hinds County sold land to George W. Prince, also of Hinds County, for $600. 

Clearly written as Hairston - November 3, 1870

1868 - John L. Hairston married Cynthia H. Moffitt on Sept. 21, 1868 in Falls County, TX. In a transcription of the faded ink in the courthouse marriage book, John L. Hairston was written as John L. Houston. His name, along with his wife Cynthia, in later land records confirmed that John L. Houston was indeed John L. Hairston. 

February 13, 1869

1869 – Cynthia Hairston sold land to Harris Kay at Blue Ridge in Falls County, TX on February 13, 1869.  John L. Hairston signed the deed.  

The Houston Telegraph, April 14, 1870

1870 – On April 2, 1870, the Hairston home was consumed by fire. John L. Hairston, Phillip A. Hairston, Mattie Hairston, and the Noah family cannot be found on the 1870 census. John's daughter, Mary Gilbert, and her husband and children were living near Marlin and his wife, Cynthia, was living in Marlin. 

1872 - According to his obituary, Phillip A. Hairston was married to #17 Lodema Walker Criswell on January 3, 1872 in Falls County, Texas. 

1873 - Permelia Hairston Noah reported on her application for a Confederate pension that her husband, Joseph Sidney Noah, died in 1873 in Falls County. It is said by family that Joseph Sidney was kicked in the head by a mule, resulting in his death. 

1875 - Martha Elizabeth "Mattie" Hairston married #44 James C. Chisum on November 4, 1875 in Falls County.

The Hairston Family in 1880

1880 – The 1880 U. S. Census showed John L. Hairston living with son, Philip Hairston, and other family members in Falls County. Cynthia Hairston (spelled Houston) was living with or near her son.

1881 - A release of land on the waters of Bushy Creek, to John L. Hairston on November 1, 1881, was found in the Falls County Courthouse. This was not not filed until 1887.

1883 - Phillip A. Hairston and wife, Lodema, sold land to L. Jeeks of Limestone County, TX on September 5, 1883. This land was on Bushy Creek in Falls County. Phillip, Permelia, Mattie, their families, and probably Sarah Jane moved to Erath County at the end of the year. 

No record was found indicating that John L. Hairston had died, remained in Falls County, or moved to Erath with his family.  

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

By participating in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge, my goal was to prove or disprove the theory that Hugh B. Hairston was the father of John L. Hairston. I have not done so, but know that I have enough indirect evidence to see that there is a definite connection between the two.  

This is not all of the information that I have collected about John L. Hairston.  I know that I will find even more and will add to this timeline in later posts. 

These Hairston posts will continue beyond the 52 ancestors.  Check out my next post, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: I Completed the Challenge!!

Diana

© 2014

Sources

1820 U S Census; Census Place: Talom, Elbert, Georgia; Page: 182; NARA Roll: M33_8; Image: 127.

1830 US Census; Census Place:  Butts, Georgia; Page: 163; NARA Series: M19; Roll Number: 16; Family History Film: 0007036. 

1840 US Census Place: Meriwether, Georgia; Roll: 46; Page: 138; Image: 866; Family History Library Film: 0007045.

1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Falls County, Texas, Phil Hairston household; National Archives microfilm publication roll M432; digital image, Ancestry.com, http://www.ancestry.com (accessed 27 Feb. 2014).

Ancestry.com. 1840 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

Ancestry.com. Georgia Cherokee Land Lottery, 1832 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.

Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2006.

Ancestry.com. Texas, Death Certificates, 1903–1982 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.

Anderson, Mary Lee. Volume II The WHITAKER and Related Families. Date unknown. Print and online. 

"Butts Sheriff's Sales." Macon Weekly Telegraph.  Macon, Georgia. 16Apr. 1839, 29 issue: 4. GenealogyBank.com.

Deed of Sale from John L. Hairston and Luiza Hairston to Geo. W. Prince, 10 Oct. 1865. (filed 15 Nov. 1865), Hinds County, Mississippi, Deed Book 28, page 697. Chancery Clerk's Office, Raymond, Mississippi.

Deed of Sale from John Lewis Hairston to James M. Hairston, 8 Nov. 1838. Meriwether County, Georgia . Copy of the original deed obtained from Billy G. Hairston on July 28, 2000. 

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn. 

"Georgia, Elbert County Records, 1790-2002," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-22905-22001-61?cc=2071974&wc=M77F-9P6:355761601,355829101 : accessed 07 Jul 2014), Court records > Court records-poor schools box 5 1802-1950 > image 49 of 511.

Hairston, Victor , and Edward Bregenzer. The Hairston History.  1998. Print.

Houston, John L. and Moffitt, Cynthia, Falls County Marriages, County Clerk's Office, Marlin, Texas.

Lucas, S. Emmett, and Edward E. Schaick. Some Georgia county records, Vol. 3. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1977-2000. Print.

Texas State Library and Archives Commission; Austin, Texas; Confederate Pension Applications, 1899-1975; Collection #: CPA16526; Roll #: 183; Roll Description: Pension File Nos. 41391 to 41425, Application Years 1921 to 1925.

Year: 1850; Census Place: Hinds, Mississippi; Roll: M432_372; Page: 165A; Image: 336

Year: 1860; Census Place: Hinds, Mississippi; Roll: M653_582; Page: 674; Image: 206; Family History Library Film: 803582

Year: 1870; Census Place: Precinct 2, Falls, Texas; Roll: M593_1584; Page: 27A; Image: 57; Family History Library Film: 553083

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #51 Eliza Hairston, My Great-Great-Grandmother

The solid lines indicate that the connection to the family is documented while
the dotted lines indicate that direct evidence has not yet been found to
make the connection. Click on the family tree to see a larger image.

My great-grandfather, Phillip A. Hairston was born in Hinds County, Mississippi in 1852. His father was John L. Hairston, born in South Carolina, and his mother, Eliza, thought to be born in Georgia.  Eliza's maiden name is unknown and a marriage date and place for John and Eliza cannot be found. 

No Story Too Small

Eliza Hairston's first name has only been seen in four places; the 1850 United States census record as Eliza,  Liza on the death record of Phillip A. Hairston in 1917, as Eliza on the death record of Permelia Hairston, and as Luiza on a deed record. 

There are family stories about a Native American ancestor in the Hairston family and Eliza appears to be a good candidate. According to my father, "one great-grandmother was a full-blooded Cherokee." Distant cousins (Noahs, Thompsons, Greshams, and Chisums) had heard family stories about Native American heritage. One Thompson cousin said that her father treated it as a family secret. In an old Bryan family letter, my grandmother was referred to as "an Indian woman named Hirston."

Eliza is first found on the 1850 census. Her age was 30 years old, her birthplace was recorded as Georgia, and it was reported that she did not read or write. 

In 1860, Eliza was seen as E. Huston and her age was reported as 39, giving her a birth year of 1820 or 1821. 

Eliza and John had the following children indicating that they lived for a time Arkansas and possibly spent some time in Alabama.

Mary Ann Hairston was born about 1840 in Alabama or Arkansas

Permelia Hairston March 15, 1843 in Bradley County, Arkansas

Sarah Jane Hairston born about 1845 in Arkansas.

William born about 1846 in Mississippi.

Adeline Hairston born about 1849 in Mississippi.

Phillip A. Hairston born on May 17, 1852 in Mississippi

Martha Elizabeth "Mattie" Hairston born on August 2, 1858 in Mississippi.

On October 10, 1865 John L. Hairston and wife sold his land in Hinds County to George W. Prince for $600. John's wife's name is clearly written as Luiza. I would guess that this was a transcription error made when copying from the original deed, but we will never really know.

Hinds County to Bradley County to Falls County
Click here to see a larger version of this map at Google Maps.

A story from Permelia Hairston Noah's descendants was that, after the war ended, the Hairston family left Hinds County, Mississippi for Falls County, first stopping in Bradley County, Arkansas. No mention is made of what happened to Eliza. The family was in Falls County, Texas by 1867 and on September 21, 1868, John L. Hairston married Cynthia H. Moffitt.

Diana

© 2014


Sources

Ancestry.com. Texas, Death Certificates, 1903–1982 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn. 

Deed of Sale from John L. Hairston and Luiza Hairston to Geo. W. Prince, 10 Oct. 1865. (filed 15 Nov. 1865), Hinds County, Mississippi, Deed Book 28, page 697. Chancery Clerk's Office, Raymond, Mississippi.

Houston, John L. and Moffitt, Cynthia, Falls County Marriages, County Clerk's Office, Marlin, Texas.

Year: 1850; Census Place: Hinds, Mississippi; Roll: M432_372; Page: 165A; Image: 336

Year: 1860; Census Place: Hinds, Mississippi; Roll: M653_582; Page: 674; Image: 206; Family History Library Film: 803582

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #50 Walter Alexander Chisum, Son of James C. Chisum and Martha Elizabeth "Mattie" Hairston

The solid lines indicate that the connection to the family is documented while
the dotted lines indicate that direct evidence has not yet been found to
make the connection. Click on the family tree to see a larger image.

Walter Alexander Chisum
Photo taken in Erath County
Courtesy of Max Sinclair

No Story Too Small

Walter Alexander Chisum was born on August 20, 1876 in Falls County, Texas. He was the son of Martha Elizabeth "Mattie" Hairston and James C. Chisum. When he was about age seven, Walter's family moved to Erath County, Texas. 

The next time that I found Walter is when he married Laura Elvira Pitts in Erath County on November 9, 1897. Laura was from Lincoln County, Tennessee and the daughter of James Carroll Pitts and Martha Elizabeth Hague. Her father died in 1889 and between 1892 and 1900, all of Laura's siblings could be found in Texas or Oklahoma. Her mother was living in Oklahoma Territory in 1900. 

About 1902 - Walter with James Clayborne,
Laura, and Dorsey
Photo courtesy of Max Sinclair

It is presumed that Laura met Walter Chisum in Erath County as she had siblings who lived in Erath County. Her sister, Stella Pitts King, was in Erath County by 1893 and another sister, Louisa, married William L. Kiker in Erath County in 1895. 

One family story passed down to my third cousin and fellow researcher, Max Sinclair, was that Laura was disowned by her mother when she married Walter as he was of Native American descent . 

In 1900, Walter, Laura, and their first child, Dorsey Wilmer Chisum, were living in Palo Pinto County. Walter was working as a section hand for a railroad company. 

Both James Clayborne Chisum and Blanch Edith Chisum were born in Erath County. James Clayborn in 1901 and Blanch Edith in 1903. 

In 1905, daughter, Chessie Chisum was born in Quanah, Hardeman County, Texas.

By 1908, when daughter Mattie Elizabeth Chisum was born, the family was living in Greer County, Oklahoma. Son, Houston Pitts "Buster" Chisum, was born in 1910. Several of Walter's uncles and cousins lived in Greer County throughout the early 1900s. In 1910, the census indicated that Walter was working as a laborer doing odd jobs.

Son, Cloyd Chisum was born in Newlin, Hall County in 1912. Newlin was also the home of Walter's sister, Stella. 

Walter died of pneumonia at age 39 on March 19, 1916 in Wilbarger County, Texas. He is buried in the Harrold Cemetery. 

Walter and Laura's youngest child, Rita Walter Chisum, was born after the death of her father on June 3, 1916 in Harrold. 

Laura and all seven children were living in Harrold in Wilbarger County in 1920. 

I like to look at Google Maps to get an overall picture of where families lived and to determine their proximity to other family members. On this map, I added in all of the known places that Walter lived, where his children were born, my Hairston/Bryan family home of Baylor County and Jackson County, OK as some of Walter's family were found there. Click here to see a larger version of this map at Google Maps.

In 1930, Dorsey Chisum was reported to be head of the family living in Wilbarger County. He lived with his wife Eula, three children, his mother, and siblings, Houston, Cloyd, Reta, and Chessie and three of Chessie's children. Son, James Clayborne, was living in Wichita County, Texas and daughter, Blanch Edith, was married to Charles Burchfield and lived nearby in Wilbarger. 

On August 19, 1930, Edith Chisum Burchfield died following an operation to remove a kidney. She was twenty-seven years old and left a husband with three young children. One of those children, Glen, later purchased the marker that is on Walter Chisum's grave in the Harrold Cemetery. 

Laura Elvira Pitts Chisum Sanders
1950
Courtesy of Max Sinclair 

The 1940 United States Census shows that Dorsey Chisum, his mother, and two nephews were living in Maricopa, Arizona by 1935.  Also living in Maricopa in 1940 were Chessie Chisum Wilkerson, and her family, James Clayborne Chisum and family, Mattie Elizabeth Chisum Young and family, Houston Pitts Chisum and family, and Rita Walter Chisum Suggs and family. 

Laura Chisum remarried at age 65 to James C. Saunders in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona on December 19, 1942. Laura died on November 18, 1958 and is buried in Greenwood Memory Lawn Cemetery in Phoenix. 

Thank you to Max Sinclair for permission to use his photos, the documents that he sent me several years ago, and his very thorough Public Tree at Ancestry.com. 

Diana

© 2014

Sources

Ancestry.com. Web: Arizona, Find A Grave Index, 1861-2012 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2006.

Ancestry.com. Texas, Death Certificates, 1903–1982 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.


Burchfield, Glen. "Message Boards." Re: Laura Elvira Chisum. 29 Aug. 2002. Web. 27 Dec. 2014. <http://boards.ancestry.com/surnames.chisum/70.74.115.1/mb.ashx>.

Certificate of Marriage, James C. Sanders to Laura Chisum, 19 December 1942, Maricopa, Arizona. Clerk of the Superior Court's Office, Phoenix, Arizona. Copy in possession of Diana Quinn, Virginia Beach, VA.

King, Dee Dee. Erath County, Texas, Bride Index and Groom Index, Volume 1: 1869-1900. N.p: Dee Dee King, 2005. Print.

"Texas, Deaths, 1890-1976," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-25241-7927-97?cc=1983324 : accessed 27 December 2014), Death certificates > 1930 > Vol 085, certificates 042001-042500, Aug-Sep, Uvalde-Bell counties > image 270 of 522; State Registrar Office, Austin.

Year: 1900; Census Place: Justice Precinct 4, Palo Pinto, Texas; Roll: 1663; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 0122; FHL microfilm: 1241663

Year: 1910; Census Place: Granite Ward 1, Greer, Oklahoma; Roll: T624_1253; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 0113; FHL microfilm: 1375266

Year: 1920; Census Place: Justice Precinct 2, Wilbarger, Texas; Roll: T625_1855; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 137; Image: 372

Year: 1930; Census Place: Precinct 4, Wichita, Texas; Roll: 2410; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 0054; Image: 468.0; FHL microfilm: 2342144

Year: 1930; Census Place: Precinct 2, Wilbarger, Texas; Roll: 2410; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 0008; Image: 909.0; FHL microfilm: 2342144

Year: 1930; Census Place: Precinct 2, Wilbarger, Texas; Roll: 2410; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 0008; Image: 908.0; FHL microfilm: 2342144

Year: 1940; Census Place: Maricopa, Arizona; Roll: T627_109; Page: 16B; Enumeration District: 7-167

Year: 1940; Census Place: Maricopa, Arizona; Roll: T627_109; Page: 14B; Enumeration District: 7-167 

Year: 1940; Census Place: Maricopa, Arizona; Roll: T627_109; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 7-169 

Year: 1940; Census Place: Maricopa, Arizona; Roll: T627_109; Page: 81A; Enumeration District: 7-167

Friday's Photo: Is This My Great-Grandfather? Opinions Needed!

On the left is a tintype of a man found in my Bryan family bible. Is it a young picture of my great-grandfather? On the right is a known photo of my great-grandfather, Terrell Bryan, taken before February of 1909. I've had two people who are excellent at matching in photos and faces look at these. They differ in opinion. I need some more input. 

Comment below or on my Moments in Time Facebook Page.

Here is another. The tintype on the left and a known photo of Terrell Bryan on the right. 

Diana

© 2014

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #48 and #49 Infants, Redic E. Bryan, Jr. and Redic E. Bryan

The solid lines indicate that the connection to the family is documented while
the dotted lines indicate that direct evidence has not yet been found to
make the connection. Click on the family tree to see a larger image.

My grandparents, Myrtie Hairston and Redic Eli Bryan, had two baby boys who died in infancy. 

Redic Eli Bryan Jr. was born on April 8, 1913 and died on April 30. He was 22 days old. 

In 1913, the Bryan family was living in Seymour, Baylor County, Texas. This birth announcement was found in the Baylor County Banner. 

Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Bryan are the happy parents of a new big bouncing  boy since Tuesday.  The youngster is a lively fellow and lets his wants be known. 

Baylor County Banner - April 11, 1913

Myrtie Hairston Bryan belonged to
a Woodmen of the World women's
auxiliary group - a Supreme Forest
Woodmen Circle. Her circle was
the Daphne Grove No. 323.

Redic E., Jr. died of whooping cough. Other Bryan children, Marie, DeRay, Buster, and Willia Mae, some of who also had whooping cough, were staying with grandparents, Phillip and Lodema Hairston, in Levelview while the baby was ill. The following two mentions were found in the Baylor County Banner under Levelview community news. 

Dr. Bunkley was called out Sunday to see little Willie Mae Bryan who had gotten hold of some medicine and ate it, but she failed to swallow it and never hurt her so very much. April 18, 1913

R. E. Bryan came out last week to see about his children who are staying with their grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Hairston while they have the whooping cough. May 2, 1913

Redic Bryan was the tax assessor in Baylor County during this time and this was written in the Baylor County Banner on April 25, Assessor R. E. Bryan requests everybody to render their taxes by May 1.  He has been unable to get out much lately on account of a sick baby. 

Redic Eli Bryan, Jr. died on April 30, 1913. He had been sick for 14 days. His obituary was found in the Bryan family bible.  A Card of Thanks was published in the May 2, 1913 issue of the Baylor County Banner and is transcribed below. 

Card of Thanks 

We want to express in the strongest possible terms our heartfelt appreciation of the very great kindness of our friends and neighbors who were so helpful, solicitous and sympathizing upon the occasion of the death of our little boy.  We thank Dr. Bunkley, also, for his faithful service.  May the God of all good reward you in ways that we cannot  Sincerely, R. E. Bryan, wife and children. 

A Postmortem Photograph
Myrtie Hairston Bryan
Redic E. Bryan, age 3 months
December 1916

Redic E. Bryan, also seen as R. E. Bryan, was born at the end of end of September in 1916.  This announcement of his birth was found in the Baylor County Banner on September 28, 1916. 

Visits of the stork have become almost an epidemic in this part of the country. On one of them last week, a big boy was left at the home of Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Bryan. He is strictly one of the family by this time.

No mention of the baby is seen again in the 1916 issues of the Banner. 

Redic E. Bryan died on December 31, 1916 at age three months. According to funeral home records, he is buried in the Woodman of the World Cemetery in Seymour. 

Diana

© 2014

Sources

Ancestry.com. Texas, Death Certificates, 1903–1982 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn.

Postmortem photograph from the collection of Carla Noah Stutsman. Used with permission.


Quinn, Diana. "Baylor County Banner1913." Baylor County Banner1913. 22 Jan. 2007. Web. 24 Dec. 2014. <http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bryanquinn/BaylorCountyBanner1913.htm>.

Quinn, Diana. "Baylor County Banner1916." Baylor County Banner1916. 15 July 2009. Web. 20 Dec. 2014. <http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bryanquinn/BaylorCountyBanner1916.htm>.

From the Files of Marguerite Cook Clark: Christmas Greetings - 1916

This Christmas greeting was sent to Laura Martin of Ringgold, Bienville Parish, Louisiana from Kate Stewart of Arcadia in Bienville Parish on December 21, 1916. Laura and Kate were first cousins.

Laura was
the daughter of Joseph Brown Bryan and Kate was the daughter of Catharine Amanda Bryan Watts. 

Joseph and Catharine were children of Reddick and Elizabeth Regan Bryan.

Kate's Christmas message is transcribed below.





My Dear Cousin, 
As it is all most xmas will send you a card to show you that I still think of you all just the same. Wish I could be with you all once more but looks like that will never be. Days leaves us all well & hope you are the same so wishing you a happy Christmas. Will close. Write some time.
Your same cousin Kate Stewart

Love to all is written in the lower left corner. 


Enjoy this special time with your families.  Thank you for reading my blog.  I appreciate your encouragement and comments!

Diana

© 2014

Sources

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Marguerite Cook Clark. Accessed April 28, 2014 and September 14, 2014. Used with permission.