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| Charles A. Giddens 1865-1958 Charles was born in Giddensville, graduated from Jonesboro High School, worked as a postmaster in Giddensville, worked as a milkman in NYC, and owned stores in Crew VA, Phillipsburg NJ, and St. Louis MO. Before he retired to Sedalia MO, he purchased and ran a hotel in Edinburg TX. |
The letter below is a transcription of a letter written in 1952 by my great-grandfather, Charles Allen Giddens. The letter was written to his half-sister, Lena Letisha Giddens Byrd who was looking for family information. The letter was dated June 7, 1952. Lina passed away on August 20 of that same year.
In the letter, Charles mentions talking to Louis Giddens of Goldsboro, North Carolina several years prior to this letter. Louis's hobby was genealogy.
On page 243 of The Heritage of Wayne County, North Carolina, Arthur Fountain Smoot wrote about the Giddens family. His sources were L. D. Giddens Sr.'s diaries, L. D. Giddens family Bible, Goldsboro newspapers and personal interviews.
Louis D. Giddens, Sr. died in 1909. Where can I find Louis Giddens' Bible, diaries, and other research?
June 7- 52
Dear Lina your letter of 1 / 2 received Glad to hear from you and to learn where your Fla residence is located. My son Charles lives at Hollywood Fla which is not far from your place. We were down to see him and Louise his wife in 1946. That was before we left St. Louis for Tex. We were in Florida in 1928 and in 1939 and covered both east and west Fla, but in 46 we went by Deland , Sanford, Orlando Kissin then Okeechobie then around the lake. Then on down to Hollywood. We had quite a trip. Geneology or family tree you wrote about I know a little which I learned from Louis Giddens of Goldsboro several years ago I knew nothing until he mentioned it to me that was his hobby. The first known to come to this country were from Wales and they came over with lord Baltimore and landed in Baltimore, Md. One of them drifted down to N.C. Wayne County and married a Miss Taylor I think her first name was Mary. The next I know anything about was our grandfather Mitchell and his brother which was Louis Giddens' father both married sisters whos names was Britts. Our grandmother was Laticha or something like that. This is where you branch off and drop all except the Mitchell branch. I was born Nov 22nd1865 at Giddensville Sampson Co NC You can get sisters history from Hugh and Pearl she was about two years younger than I. My children are all dead but two Charles and Edith I do not know where Edith is Charles may be able to tell you if you write him his address is Hollywood Box 1042 Fla. Lucy my first wife was borned in Vermont and about three months younger than I, her last name was Glenn.
Our great-grandfather was married when he was quite old and had two sons George Britt one of the boys used to visit us at Giddensville and we went to dances together around the Holliday. He was about three or four years older than I was, he was a good sport. Let me hear from you often and come to see us sometime.
Love and best wishes Charles and Stella Giddens 2005 E. Broadway Sedalia, MO.  Charles A. Giddens wrote, "The first known to come to this country were from Wales and they came over with lord Baltimore and landed in Baltimore, Md. One of them drifted down to N.C. Wayne County and married a Miss Taylor I think her first name was Mary. The next I know anything about was our grandfather Mitchell and his brother which was Louis Giddens' father both married sisters whos names was Britts." My great-grandfather's story is similar to the one found in The Heritage of Wayne County, North Carolina (1982). Arthur Fountain Smoot wrote, "John Giddens was born in Maryland in 1755 and moved to Dobbs County in 1770 where he married Sarah Taylor." My research shows that John fought in the American Revolution and received land in Wayne and Duplin Counties. At the time of his death in 1802, John lived in Wayne County. He and his wife had eight children. As described in the letter, two sons married Britt sisters. David married Sophia Britt and Mitchell married Letisha Britt. Louis D. Giddens was the son of David and Charles Giddens was the grandson of Mitchell. Information about others mentioned in the letter can be found below. Charles Allen Giddens was the son of Luellen Bradshaw and George L. Giddens and was born in Giddensville, Sampson County, North Carolina. His first wife was Mary Lucy Glynn and his second wife, Estella Moyer Rosenberger. He mentioned his grandfather, Mitchell Giddens who was married to Letisha Britt (George Britt was her half-brother).
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Diana
Sources
Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn
“The Heritage of Wayne County, North Carolina, 1982: Wayne County Heritage Book Committee: Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming: Internet Archive.” https://archive.org/details/WayneCountyHeritageFamilyHistories/page/n249. Accessed 6 Apr. 2019.
