Moments in Time is on Facebook

I created a Moments in Time Facebook page this past weekend. Why would I do this? I already have four blogs, a website, a regular Facebook page, and Facebook group pages for the Hairston, Bryan, Giddens, and Quinn/Murray families. 

Well, here are my reasons for creating the page:

• One of my readers wants to see all of my posts, but only sees the ones pertaining to her family on the her family group page. She will now get notice of all posts and any interesting items that I might find and want to add to this page. 

• A few friends on my Facebook page are not family, but are interested in genealogy. This would allow them to receive notices about my posts.

• Anyone can find this page on Facebook. My other pages are closed and require an invitation. You can tell all of your friends and family about this one. This is another form of "cousin bait."

• AND, more people, who are not family, are reading my blog. A few requested to be "friends" on Facebook. They would see more about my genealogical research and finds on this new Facebook page. 

So, if you want to receive notices when I post or find something interesting, go to my Moments in Time Facebook page and click on "like." 

Thank you for reading my blog!

Diana

© 2013

Honoring the Mothers In My Family Tree

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Happy Mother's Day to my sister - a wonderful mother and grandmother!

Happy Mother's Day to my Aunt!

Doris Staubach Quinn - My mother-in-law.
1929 - 2012

Edith Giddens Davis, my grandmother
1897-1975

Myrtie Hairston Bryan, my grandmother
1880-1927

Harriet Albritton Bryan, my great-grandmother
1836-1909

Lodema Criswell Hairston, my great-grandmother
1856-1919

Bertha Davis Hawkins, my great-grandmother
1879 - 1965

Mary Lucy Glynn Giddens, my great-grandmother
1866-1926

Julia Harvey Glynn, with daughter Carrie, my great-great-grandmother
Died in 1919

Elizabeth Regan Bryan, my great-great-grandmother
1798-1877

Caroline Olive Davis, my great-great-grandmother
1847- after 1901

Mary Ann "Polly" Evans Criswell, my great-great-grandmother
1829-1883

Diana

© 2013

Friday's Photo: Confirmation Revisited

Last week, I posted the above picture of a boy at his confirmation. I determined that the picture might be Francis Meehan, child of Sarah Murray and her husband Edward Meehan who lived in NYC. 

I cannot positively identify this as Francis as this could also be a neighbor or a another family member. However, as it is a Quinn/Murray family picture, I assumed that it was taken in NYC. 

Mary and Helen Quinn
Taken at Mueller's Studio

After posting this photograph, I noticed a faint photographers engraving. It was not legible and even a scanning and enlargement did not reveal the name. Scanning the reverse side and playing with the scan revealed the studio as Mueller's on 3rd Ave. I know that Mueller's was at 2196 3rd Avenue in NYC as there are at least two other family pictures taken at that studio within that same time period. Mueller's studio was just blocks from the St. Paul Church and the Meehan home. 

If there are any Meehan's reading this blog, I would love to have your input! 

Update (22 April 2024): Helen Quinn, the little girl on the left in the above photo, has positively identified this photo. The boy is Jackie O'Brien, the child of Nora Quinn and Jack O'Brien. Nora was the first cousin of Helen's father, John, and my husband's grandfather, William (Willie). Helen remembered the photo hanging on a wall in Nora's home. 

Diana

© 2013

Census Sightings: Terrell Bryan, 1870

Terrell Bryan, my great-grandfather, was a fairly easy guy to find. I have his bible so important dates are at my fingertips. I have followed his family's trail from NC to GA and LA. I have his military service record from the CSA, his application for a Confederate Pension, and bits and pieces about his life in local and national newspapers. 

Terrell is found in the 1850 Bienville Parish, Louisiana census as a teenager and in the Erath County, Texas censuses of 1880, 1900, and 1910. In 1920, he was living with his daughter, Dollie Wylie, in Bronte, Texas. The 1860 census for Bienville Parish is considered lost and most of the U. S. Federal Census for 1890 was burned. However, where was Terrell in 1870?

During the last 10+ years, my searches for Terrell and his family in the 1870 census have been unsuccessful. I assumed that Terrell and his family were omitted by chance or, maybe, by choice. 

However, when searching for former slaves that Terrell inherited from his father's estate, I came across the Thomas Briant family in the 1870 Bienville Parish census and I believe that it is Terrell and his family. 

My reasons are as follows:

• In 1864, Frances and her four children, Emily, Caroline, Sam, and Mary were listed in Lot #1 on Reddick Bryan’s Partition of Slaves and this lot was drawn by Harriet Bryan for her husband Terrell. Many former slaves were living with former slaveholders in 1870. Look at the document above to see a Frances and four children living with Thomas Briant's family. 

• A Thomas Briant was not on any other census record in Bienville Parish. And, I did not find him in the deed index even though the census record indicates that he owned land.  Terrell Bryan did own land. 

• We are looking at a copy of the original or even a copy of a copy when we look at a census record. The person who copied this has legible handwriting  but I suspect that the actual census taker, H. J. Twitchell, did not. Terrell's half-brother, John Regan, was written as John Cregan, my great-great-grandmother is listed as Sarah instead of Elizabeth, Wimberly is written as Wimbly throughout the census, and many, many names were butchered on this local census record. 

• The number of children is a perfect match. All ages matched except Hollen (listed as Sarah) who was listed as five years old on the census, but would not have been five for another month. I listed the ages of family members as of the date of the census, July 6, 1870, on the comparison below.  

What do you think? Is this the Terrell Bryan family? 

Diana

© 2013

Friday's Photo: Confirmation

This confirmation photograph belonged to my husband's parents. My father-in-law said that it was a cousin of the Quinn/Murray family, but was not sure who. I enlarged the photograph until I could see the ribbon. The confirmation took place at St. Paul's Church in May of 1927. The boy would have been born in about 1920. It is difficult to tell the exact day. I thought the 13th or the 18th, but neither are Sundays. Were confirmations always on Sundays?

Edward Dawson, son of Margaret Quinn and Harold Dawson was only two years old in 1930.

Patrick and James McGing, sons of Kate Murray and Peter McGing were also too young.

Mary Quinn Meaney and her husband, Lawrence had a son, William, who would be the correct age. They lived in Louisville, Kentucky where there is a St. Paul Church, but the age of the church is unknown.

The most likely candidate is Francis Meehan, age 9 in 1930, son of Sarah Murray and Edward Meehan. In 1920, Meehan family lived on at 218 117th Street in NYC, just down the street from a St. Paul Church at 113 East 117th Street.

Diana

© 2013

Friday's Photo: A Bryan Family Daughter

This tintype was found in Terrell and Harriet Bryan's family bible. The dress appears to have some lace on it and look at her stockings. Do you see stripes? I am looking for a Bryan or Albritton family member with a duplicate copy of this picture. 

Diana

© 2013

Friday's Photo: Redic E. Bryan, a Tintype

Redic Eli Bryan  1870 - 1929

My father identified this as his father, Redic E. Bryan, as a young child. This tintype was found in Terrell and Harriet Bryan's family bible along with many other very old photos. I wondered how Dad knew that this was his father, as his father died when he was very young. I assume that Dad's older sisters told him that this was his father, but decided to compare it to other photos of Redic. The following photo has also been identified as Redic. Look at his chin and his eyes. In my opinion, there is no doubt that child in the above tintype is Redic. 

Diana

© 2013

Friday's Photo: Five Mystery Photos from the Quinn Family Collection

These are photos of persons that I would like to identify. They belonged to my husbands family. I suspect that they are Quinn or Murray family pictures. However, there is a small chance that these are my mother-in-law's Driscoll / Staubach family pictures.  To see more about these families, click on the "My Families" tab at the top of this page. 

If you have similar pictures or information about these pictures, please contact me. 

These are not labeled, but this might have been taken in Ireland. Look at the stone wall in the background. Tell me what you think.  I believe that this is a Quinn / Murray photo as many other Quinn / Murray photos from Ireland had tape across the top.

This looks like the Quinn home outside of Kinvara. 

Does anyone have a picture of this child? 

Unlabeled Photo

Glenn - 9 weeks

Diana

© 2013

Friday's Photo: More Hats

Whit Bryan (1920-2001) and James Richardson (1930-1988)

Last week, I posted a picture of two unknown women with interesting hats. This week, I am posting a picture of two men in hats; my Dad and my Uncle Jimmy. Dad, with the cowboy hat was from West Texas, and Uncle Jimmy grew up in New York. They led very different lives, but were linked by family as they married sisters. 

Diana

© 2013

Friday's Photo: Texas Girls with Hats

Friends or cousins of Floyd W. Thompson (1889 - 1968)

This photograph belonged to my second cousin-once-removed, Juanita Thompson Gleghorn. On the back was written, I want to paint their hats. These were some of Dad's friends or cousins. I am sure that Juanita wrote that as she loved to paint. 

Juanita's father Floyd W. Thompson, the son of Martha "Mattie" Hairston Chisum Thompson and John Thompson, was born in Erath County, Texas.  Floyd moved to Baylor County, Texas in 1905 to help my great-grandfather and his uncle, Phillip A. Hairston, on his farm. Floyd married Ora Cox in 1912 and lived for many years in Baylor County. Judging by the clothing, this picture was taken in the early 1900s. 

In addition to Juanita's note, there is some very childish writing on the back (see below). One word appears to be "Rose." If you can decipher any of the other childish writing, please comment below or send me an e-mail. And, if you have any idea as to the identity of these two women, please contact me. 

Diana

© 2013