Beyond 52 Ancestors: #53 Carl Forrest Greenway

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.

Carl Forrest Greenway
(1917-1974)

Carl Forrest Greenway died in 1974, but I feel as if I have been collaborating with him about the Hairston family for the last fifteen years. Some of his letters, found in the Georgia State Archives were sent to me in 1999. On a visit to the New York Public Library in 2000, I copied some of his letters and notes found in four very large binders. That same year, another researcher sent a copy of a letter found in the Bassett Historical Center.

Carl F. Greenway researched the early Hairstons of Virginia and pointed out information in other research that did and did not make sense. He did not have the advantage of the Internet so traveled throughout the south and to Salt Lake City to find family. He often spent time talking to and writing to distant cousins. From those interviews and letters about his mother's Hairston family, I found clues to help me further my research.

I know that I need to go back to the NYPL and maybe to the Bassett Historical Center and the Georgia State Archives. At the New York Pubic Library, I only copied what I thought was pertinent. However, I now know so much more about this branch of the Hairston family. Names such as McBurnett, McKain, Stallings, Simonton, White, and McCauley meant nothing to me in 2000. Did I miss something? I need to know. 

Carl's letters indicate that he sent research to the North Carolina State Archives. Recently, I found one item in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. That's two additional places to search. Were there more documents to find? Did he spread his research around according to state and family? Or, did he make copies to send to various repositories? Did those binders at the NYPL contain all of his research?

First, I needed to know a little more about Carl Forrest Greenway. I knew that he was from Texas, the Hairstons were his mother's family, and when he was researching, he lived in New York City. What I thought would be a brief Internet search, took several days of reading and searching. Carl Forrest Greenway was a brilliant, talented, and generous man. 

Carl Forrest Greenway

Carl Forrest Greenway was born on May 8, 1917 in Jones County, Texas.  His parents were James Carl Greenway and Lida Pearl McClaran. Lida was a descendant of James McElhaney Hairston, the possible brother to my great-great grandfather, John Lewis Hairston. If James M. and John L. are actually brothers, Carl Forrest Greenway and I would be fourth cousins. 

His family and hometown friends knew him as Forrest - his father went by Carl. To all others, he was Carl F. Greenway. He grew up on a farm in Hamlin  where he was the fourth of five children. His siblings were Elva Louise Greenway (1908 – 1950), John Duke Greenway (1910 – 1982), Mildred Inez Greenway (1913 – 2004), and Walter Lee Greenway (1920 – 2006).

Click here to see 
the complete article.

Carl took piano lessons in Hamlin and by age 11, he was found in local newspapers playing the piano at weddings. Throughout his school years, he played at school, church, and civic events. In 1930, his talent was written about in the local newspaper.

In addition to music, he was found to win at least two awards for his saddle horses and awards at school for spelling and writing.

Carl graduated from Hamlin High School and attended Baylor University, Hardin-Simmons, the University of Mexico, and Harvard. Click on the links to to each school to see more.

The Hamlin Herald, 10 Sep 1943
Click for the complete article. 

Before WWII, Carl worked at the Bryant-Link Company where he managed the dry goods department. He continued to be active in church and in 1941, he was elected as the president of the Hamlin Rotary Club.

Flying was another of Carl's interests. In 1941, it was written that he was working on his Federal Flying License.  

As a young man Carl traveled to Yosemite and Canada, New York City, Denver and San Francisco. Databases at Ancestry.com show him arriving from both Paris and Rome in the 1950s.

Carl entered the Army Air Corps in 1942 and was accepted in to the officer training program. He left the army in 1946 with a rank of Major.

After completing his graduate degree at Harvard's business school, Carl worked for the investment firm of Spencer Trask & Co. where he eventually served as vice president and director.

Carl Forrest Greenway stated, in a letter to Will Hairston, that he began researching family after attending his nephew's wedding where the bride's questions about family rekindled an earlier interest in his family history. This wedding was July 12, 1962. I have letters written by Carl F. Greenway dating between November 24, 1962 and December 10, 1967.

In a letter dated July 5, 1963, Carl wrote the following about genealogy. 

I can understand why one would be a professional genealogist. I think that

it is the most fascinating - if often frustrating - work possible. Sherlock Holmes' labours often pale in comparison, no? Doing with it and still carrying on a regular job does present a problem - my social life has completely gone to pot, as has my terrace, but I have been concentrating rather heavily while older generations were available to some extent.

Carl Forrest Greenway passed away on September 13, 1974 in California. His very informative obituary can be found along with 30+ other clippings about him by clicking here. 

Diana

© 2015

Greenway, Carl Forrest. "Alexander McClaren with Excursis (sic) on Related Families of VA., N.C., S.C., and Tenn." Alexander McClaren with Excursis (sic) on Related Families of VA., N.C., S.C., and Tenn. 1 Jan. 1977. Web. 1 Feb. 2015. <https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE1897535>.

“Public Member Trees,” database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 28 January 2015), “McMillan/McClaran Tree” family tree by Marylyn Caraway, profile for Carl Forrest Greenway (1917-1974).

"The Hamlin Herald at Newspapers.com." Newspapers.com. 30 June 1930. Web. 2 Feb. 2015.

"The Hamlin Herald at Newspapers.com." Newspapers.com. 6 April. 1934. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. 

"The Hamlin Herald at Newspapers.com." Newspapers.com. 14 Sept. 1934. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. 

"The Hamlin Herald at Newspapers.com." Newspapers.com. 11 Sept. 1936 Web. 2 Feb. 2015. 

"The Hamlin Herald at Newspapers.com." Newspapers.com. June 17. 1938. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. 

"The Hamlin Herald at Newspapers.com." Newspapers.com. 21 Jul. 1939. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. 

"The Hamlin Herald at Newspapers.com." Newspapers.com. 13 June. 1941. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. 

"The Hamlin Herald at Newspapers.com." Newspapers.com. 10 Sept. 1943. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. 

"The Hamlin Herald at Newspapers.com." Newspapers.com. 7 Jul. 1946. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. 

"The Hamlin Herald at Newspapers.com." Newspapers.com. 12 July. 1962. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. 

"The Hamlin Herald at Newspapers.com." Newspapers.com. 19 Sept. 1974. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. 

Year: 1953; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 8331; Line: 7; Page Number: 311

Year: 1955; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 8630; Line: 4; Page Number: 285