Friday's Photo: Regan United Methodist Church

The following was written in one of my great-great-grandmother's obituaries. 

Her house was the preacher's house, where they always received an old fashioned Methodist welcome. Being the daughter of a Methodist preacher, she both reverenced and loved the men of God. It was a source of evident gratification that she once entertained Bishop Morris on one of his overland trips to Texas. 

Elizabeth Span Regan Bryan's father was Joseph Regan. Bishop Frances Asbury, a pioneer bishop of American Methodism, wrote that he preached at Riggin's {Regan's} Chapel and dined at the home of Joseph Regan on February 3, 1803. 

Joseph Regan died in 1843. His sons, Eli and Neill Regan, donated the land for the present day site in 1847 and in 1890 the current church was constructed. 

I attended the 21st Regan Reunion last weekend along with about 40 other Regan family descendants. I learned quite a bit and met many nice distant cousins. I was especially surprised to learn that Regan was pronounced Ree-gan by most family members. I always assumed it was pronounced Ray-gan. 

Thank you to the organizers for their hard work. I hope to attend the 22nd! 

Diana

© 2015



Sources

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

"Randy's Cousin Web Page - Person Page." Randy's Cousin Web Page - Person Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2015. <http://regan.org/genealogy/all/all-o/p4.htm#i396>.

"Regan United Methodist Church | Methodist church in Lumberton, NC | Powered by Net Ministries." Web. 30 Oct. 2015. <http://netministries.org/see/churches/ch00240>.

Friday's Photos: Elizabeth Span Regan Bryan

My great-great-grandmother was Elizabeth Span Regan, daughter of Joseph and Dorothea Regan. She was born October 20, 1798 in Robeson County, North Carolina. Elizabeth married her cousin Joseph Regan, moved to Georgia, and after his death in 1820, married Reddick Bryan in Pulaski County, Georgia. She spent almost 20 years in living with her family in Georgia (primarily Houston County) before moving to Northwest Louisiana with her family in 1838. Elizabeth remained in Louisiana until her death in 1877. She is buried in the Bryan Cemetery in Bienville Parish. 

This weekend, I will be attending the 21st Regan Family Reunion at the Regan United Methodist Church in Lumberton, Robeson County, North Carolina. This will be my first time in attendance and I know that I will learn a little more about my great-great-grandmother's family. 

For other posts about Regan family, click on the links below. 

Sunday's Obituary: Dr.Span Ragan

Friday's Photo: Amelia Regan Baker - She kept in touch with family.

Friday's Photo: Dorothy Emily Regan

From the Files of Marguerite Cook Clark:Alice Davis Regan

Diana

© 2015

Friday's Photo: Joseph B. Bryan or James Bryan?

Joseph B. Bryan

The above photo was sent to me by two different distant Bryan cousins very early in my research. Both identified the man as Joseph B. Bryan, son of Reddick and Elizabeth Regan Bryan.  

I received permission to post these on my web pages. Many copied it and added it to their web pages. And, it can be found many times over at Ancestry.com along this older, well documented, photo of Joseph B. Bryan. 



I had no reason to question this photo's identity, until last spring when I saw this identical photo in the collection of Marguerite Cook Clark.  

Was this Joseph B. or James? James was half-brother to Joseph B. and about 10 years older. 

To be honest, I was much more interested in the Civil War picture found in the same collection. I knew there was a mistake, but planned to worry about it at a later time. 

I enlisted the help of Maureen Taylor, photo expert, to help me compare family pictures with those in the Civil War photo. I sent her these photos of "Joseph B." and others, but the outcome was not what I expected. Instead of matching my family photos to the Civil War photo, she found discrepancies in the said identities of some of my photographed men. 

According to Maureen Taylor, these men were not one in the same. One of the reasons is the beards were so different. Men's beards have a pattern that don't change with age. 

Maggie Martin Cook, mother of Marguerite Cook Clark, labeled this photo Uncle Jimmie Bryan. She did not know her Uncle Jimmie Bryan. She was born in 1887 - three years after his death in 1884. She did know her grandfather, Joseph B. Bryan. She was about 20 years old at the time of his death. Maggie had many photos of James' wife Alice and was almost 30 years old when Alice died in 1916. 



Seen below, these photos of a younger James Bryan and his wife, Alice Wimberly, were also found in Marguerite Cook Clark's collection and labeled Uncle Jimmie Bryan and Aunt Alice Bryan. 

The above photos were also found by Vera Wimberly, compiler of The Wimberly Family History, in Josie Bryan Cook's album.  A very dark Xeroxed copy of these photos along with photos of Josie and her brother, John Terrell Bryan, are in Mrs. Wimberly's files in a library in Conroe, Texas. Above the photos were the names James Bryan and Alice Bryan. Josie and John were the biological children of Sarah Wimberly Bryan and Joseph B. Bryan and the adopted children of Alice Wimberly Bryan and her husband, James Bryan. 

And, these colorized photos were sent to me by another descendant of this family soon after I found Marguerite Cook Clark's collection. These framed pictures were identified on the back as James Bryan and Alice Bryan.

My conclusion? The photo, at the top of this post, is not Joseph B. Bryan, but instead, his half-brother, James Bryan. And, I have many corrections to make. 

Diana

© 2015

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

Photographs from the Frye Family Collection. Accessed January 12, 2015. Used with permission.

Photographs from the collection of Mary Smith. Accessed December 2004. Used with permission. 

Miss Mary M. Barnett is my name and America was discovered by Christopher Columbus - a document found in Elbert County court records

This is not my family, but very a appropriate post for Columbus Day. 

Miss Mary M. Barnett was practicing her penmanship on this paper found while searching Georgia records, at FamilySearch.org; specifically in Elbert County Records, 1790-2002 Court records - Miscellaneous court records - box 13 1790-1900.

Mary M. Barnett's document was found, on page 401, in a  
file marked Settlement with Harris March 31, 1841. 

Written across the paper is thought to be "H. R. Barnett" and "DEEds."  The middle initial is not legible. In the same file was a Judge H. M. Barnett's application to the estate of Sarah Thorton in January 1855. 

If you had family that lived in Elbert County, you definitely need to check out these "browse only records" at FamilySearch.org. I spent several snow days last year browsing thousands of pages while looking for Hairstons. I found only a few documents, but it was well worth my search!

Diana

© 2015

Sources

"Georgia, Elbert County Records, 1790-2002," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-22959-11994-8?cc=2071974&wc=M77X-G66:355761601,355761602 : accessed 25 May 2015), Court records > Miscellaneous court records box 13 1790-1900 > image 395 of 469; Elbert County Probate Court, Elberton.

"Georgia, Elbert County Records, 1790-2002," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-22959-11993-33?cc=2071974&wc=M77X-G66:355761601,355761602 : accessed 25 May 2015), Court records > Miscellaneous court records box 13 1790-1900 > image 397 of 469; Elbert County Probate Court, Elberton.

"Georgia, Elbert County Records, 1790-2002," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-22959-11400-34?cc=2071974&wc=M77X-G66:355761601,355761602 : accessed 25 May 2015), Court records > Miscellaneous court records box 13 1790-1900 > image 401 of 469; Elbert County Probate Court, Elberton.

Friday's Photo: Who is this young man?

This photo was sent to me by a descendant of Alice Amanda Bryan (daughter of Terrell Bryan and Harriet Albritton) and John R. Hammett (son of Dorothy Bryan and Robert E. Hammett). If he is family, he may have lived in Bienville Parish or Natchitoches Parish in Louisiana. 

I've had difficulty dating the clothing. Any ideas?

Diana

© 2015

Friday's Photo: Fun in NYC

Doris Staubach and a statue at Audubon Terrace - Oct. 1950

When this posts, I will be on my way to NYC for a few days so thought that a few NYC photos would be appropriate. 

These photos of my mother-in-law, Doris Staubach Quinn and her friends, were taken at Audubon Terrace in the Washington Heights neighborhood of upper Manhattan - not far from Doris' home on West 153rd Street. 

Doris wrote, "Madelyn, Me, and Nancy - Fall 1950"

Doris wrote, "MaryLou, Nancy, Me - Fall 1950"

Nancy, October 1950

Doris wrote, "Madelyn, me, Mary Lou  October 1950"

Nancy, Madelyn, Mary Lou

Mary Lou - October 1950

Diana

© 2015

Friday's Photo - Three Civil War Soldiers

Isn't this a fabulous picture! It's not mine but from the collection of Marguerite Cook Clark. She was the great-granddaughter of Joseph B. Bryan. It's not marked, but I can am going to assume that these men are from or at least lived near Bienville Parish, Louisiana. 

This could be three of the Bryan brothers. Tilman, Joseph, and Terrell Bryan fought in different units. James was in the home guard. Or, maybe some of the Regan brothers - the three oldest died in the war. Catharine Amanda Bryan's husband, James C. Watts fought for a year. James Pittman, husband of Georgia Ann Frances Bryan, died on the battlefield. Thomas Jefferson Martin, future son-in-law of Joseph Bryan, also served. Then you have Hammetts, Wimberlys, Albrittons, and many other in-laws and friends. So many possibilities!!

Are there any other Bryan descendants with photos from the Civil War? If so, let's share and compare. 

___________________

Almost a year later, one of these soldiers was identified. Click on Friday's Photo: Thanks to Facebook, a Confederate Soldier is Identified.

Diana

© 2015

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

Good Things Come To Those Who Blog!

A dead computer and a busy work schedule kept me away from my blogging for the last three weeks, but that didn't stop the continual stream of good things from appearing in my mail.

I have heard genealogy blogs referred to as "cousin bait." Both my website and blog have netted me a good number of new found cousins, but I receive good things from both family and non-family members.

Here are three of the good things I received in the last few weeks.

Danny M. wrote to tell me in the 1970s his family had lived a house featured on my blog (and once owned by my great - uncle, Charles Giddens). He labeled my photo and I learned a little more about the house. Click here to see more about the house. 

Second cousin Jane sent me candlesticks painted by my father's first cousin, Laura Wylie - affectionately known as "feather girl" on my blog. Thank you, Jane!

For more about Laura read the posts below. 

Friday's Photo: Laura Isabel Wylie Boyers

Friday's Photo: Feather Girl

Friday's Photo: Feather Girl Revisited

Two weeks ago, Google sent me an alert. My name was newly posted on the Internet.  A click took me to the Clare Champion, a newspaper published in County Clare, Ireland, and an article about Kinvara (in County Galway) during the War of Independence. My husband's grandfather, William Joseph Quinn, was a member of the Kinvara Volunteers. His service was written about in the Clare Champion along with the information in my blog. Click here to read the story. 

Here are nine posts about William Joseph Quinn's service during the War of Independence. 

The Irish Uprising

The Irish Uprising: Obtaining the Records

The Irish Uprising: 1914 and 1915

The Irish Uprising: 1916

The Irish Uprising: 1917 to 1919

The Irish Uprising: 1920

The Irish Uprising: 1921

The Irish Uprising: The Quinn Home

The Irish Uprising: Michael Fahey

Diana

© 2015

Friday's Photo: Hotel Giddens

Hotel Giddens - Edinburg, Texas

In 1947, Charles A. Giddens and his 2nd wife, Estella Giddens, left St. Louis where they owned a clothing store to become hoteliers. Hotel Giddens, at 410-412 Closner Boulevard in Edinburg, Hildago County, Texas, was formerly the Gateway Inn. 

It appears that the hotel was purchased for "$10.00 and other good and valuable consideration."  Does this mean that the hotel was actually purchased for only $10? I am hoping someone can answer this question.

Charles and Estella remodeled the hotel and the formal opening was held on December 15, 1947. The hotel was home to visitors and small businesses. 

Charles and Estella sold the hotel for $65,000.00 to Hector Beauckelaere of Wayne County, Michigan on September 16, 1949. In 1954, the agreement with Hector was canceled and the hotel sold for $45,000.00 to O.S. Wyatt and A. A. Moore. 

The Edinburg City Directory published in December of 1949 indicated that Charles and Estella were living in Edinburg at 217 East Lovett Street. It was written in the directory that Charles was retired. However, Charles and Estella must have left Texas prior to the publication of the directory as they purchased land just prior to December 1, 1949 in Sedalia, Missouri where they lived their remaining years. 

Diana

© 2015

"1 Aug 1947, Page 10 - at Newspapers.com." N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Aug. 2015. <http://www.newspapers.com/image/41351543/?terms=%22c%2Ba%2Bgiddens%22>.

"14 Dec 1947, Page 17 - Valley Morning Star at Newspapers.com." N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Aug. 2015. <http://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=3009910>.

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

General Warranty Deed from R. E. Hamme, and wife, Irene Hamme, and C. J. Hamme and wife, Fairy Hamme to C. A. Giddens and wife, Estella Giddens, 24 June 1947. (filed 21 July 1947), Hildago County, Texas, Deed Book 613, page 628. County Clerk's Office, Edinburg, Texas.

General Warranty Deed from C. A. Giddens and Estella Giddens to Hector Beuckelarere, 16 Sept. 1949. (filed 23 Sept. 1949), Hildago County, Texas, Deed Book 670, page 606. County Clerk's Office, Edinburg, Texas.

General Warranty Deed from C. A. Giddens and Estella Giddens to O. S. Wyatt and A. A. Moore, 1 Nov. 1954. (filed 8 Dec. 1954), Hildago County, Texas, Deed Book 356, page 196. County Clerk's Office, Edinburg, Texas.

"U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 for Census Figures Rect." U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 forCensus Figures Rect. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Aug. 2015. <http://interactive.ancestry.com/2469/4830124/384923023>.

"U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 for Drive-In Sibley's."  N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Aug. 2015. <http://interactive.ancestry.com/2469/4830124/384923023>.

Friday's Photo: Howell Albritton and a Revisit to Last Week's Photo

Howell Albritton 1828 - 1900

Unknown Couple

Last week, I posted a photo of an unknown couple that had been squirreled away on my computer since 2001. I suggested that it could be a Bryan, Albritton, Regan or Hammett. 

I was contacted almost immediately by my brilliant second cousin, Jane, who said that the man looked an awful lot like a photo of Howell Albritton on Ancestry.com. Well, I won't post the photo from Ancestry as I haven't yet received permission from the owner, but the above photo of Howell is mine and was in bible that once belonged to Terrell Bryan and his wife, Harriet Albritton Bryan.  Howell was Harriet's older brother. 

The different profiles of the men pictured in this side by side comparison makes it a little difficult; however, they have the same nose, head shape, and the same large mustache. The distance between his eyes and eyebrows look to be about the same. The hairstyle on the tintype of Howell from the family bible may have been taken in the late 1850s or early 1860s. The hair over his ears and the puffy hair on top date that picture. The photo of the unknown couple probably dates around 1890. 

The woman in the photo of the unknown couple looks quite a lot younger than the man. That made me wonder if it was a father - daughter photo instead of a married couple, but this week, I brushed up on my Albritton history.  Howell was fourteen years older than his wife, Laura Irene McDaniels!  And, a Xeroxed copy of a photo of an older Laura (at Ancestry.com) looks as if there might be a match -  a better photo is needed. 

While I cannot definitely say that the unknown photo is of Howell and Laura Albritton, research in that direction is certainly warranted. If not Howell, what about other men in that family. My great-grandmother, Harriet, had several brothers. 

Diana

© 2015

Sources

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

Family photographs from the collection of Judy McAlister. Used with permission.

"Men's Clothing." - 1850s. Web. Accessed 2 July 2015. 
<http://www.uvm.edu/landscape/dating/clothing_and_hair/1850s_clothing_men.php>.

"Moments in Time, A Genealogy Blog: Friday's Photo: An Unknown Couple." Moments in Time, A Genealogy Blog. Diana Bryan Quinn, 31 July 2015. Web. Accessed 7 Aug. 2015. <http://momentsintimeagenealogyblog.blogspot.com/2015/07/fridays-photo-unknown-couple.html>.

Taylor, Maureen Alice. Family Photo Detective: Learn How to Find Genealogy Clues in Old Photos and Solve Family Photo Mysteries. Cincinnati: Family Tree, 2013. Print.