Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Headstone for William Alfred (W. A.) and Sophronia Emmer Lee


Life in Rural West Carroll Parish, Lousiana

Life on the Farm in Rural West Carroll Parish, Louisiana
June 16, 2013
Esther Eley Jones

Esters (Erastus) Eley age 3
     Esters Eley was born in a small rural area on 28 June 1908 in Eros, Jackson Parish, Louisiana to Alice Lee, daughter of William “Willie” Alfred Lee and Sophronia Emma Meadows from Alabama. Who was Esters Eley? He was my father. He was a common, hardworking, farmer. As were all his ancestors before him. Or as some folks would say “they engaged in agriculture.” Whatever you want to call it, Daddy worked hard most of his life, but that’s what most farmers do. Work from sunup to sundown. The work goes on, because the crops won’t wait. Agriculture is raising field crops such as cotton, corn, and potatoes, and poultry, or other livestock; those were the goods produced on the farm. There were cows, hogs, and a couple of horses. Then there was the garden with all the fresh vegetables. Daddy and Mother took care of the gardening, growing fresh peas, tomatoes, Kentucky Wonder beans, squash, okra, butterbeans, cabbage, and in season turnip greens and collard greens. The garden wasn’t just a small plot of land, it was at least an acre maybe more. There were ten people in our family so they planted enough to take care of our family year round. In addition, there was enough to supply our basic need for each meal every day.

     Daddy taught us kids how to work, and we worked on the farm. We didn’t always like to do the work, but Daddy had a way of persuading us it was for our own good. There was always enough food to can and store for the winter. The meat that our family ate was raised and cured on the farm.  
The thing that I remember most about growing up on a farm in West Carroll Parish is that we always had food to eat, clothes to wear, and a place to live. We didn’t do without the basic needs of life, and those were provided by Daddy and Mother, and a home environment where we felt love and safe. No, we didn’t get hugs and kisses, or words such as I love you. However, we knew they cared and they loved us in their own ways.  

     Daddy worked the fields and Mother cared for the household chores and the children.  He provided for his family during very difficult times.  Family was important to daddy not only because the times were hard, but being raised by an uncle, cousins, or grandparents, William and Emma until they passed away. William died in 6 October 1917 and Emma died 11 November 1920 in Oak Grove, West Carroll Parish.  Daddy was the oldest of the six children, and was five years old when Granny (Alice Lee) married Jack Eley.

     Daddy retired from Mr. Hinton’s chicken farm when he was about 70 years old. He had worked on the chicken farm since 1965 and retired due of upper respiratory problems.  He lived to be 82 years old. He lived a full productive life. He loved life and loved his family.  He married his sweetheart Alma Coon; they were married 58 years, and raised eight children. All of the children have lived to become “senior adults.”  That is an accomplishment!


Esters Eley World War II Draft Card Young Men, 1940-1947


Esters Eley Draft Registration Card World War II



Citing this Record:

"Louisiana, First Registration Draft Cards, compiled 1940-1945," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KC1T-9ZH : accessed 27 Jan 2014), Esters Eley, .

Friday, April 3, 2015

Marriage License and Application for J. L. Eley and Alice Lee




The marriage license for J. L. Eley and Alice Lee. The Clerk had written on the back of the license. This is the best copy that I could get of the license. This is the original as noted at the top of the document. written on the back of the license. This is the best copy that I could get of the license. This is the original as noted at the top of the document. J. L. Eley was Esters Eley's step-father. His given name was Jackson "Jack" Lawrence Eley. Granny Eley or Alice didn't have a middle name.


 



The top part of the document shown is the application for a marriage license, and is filled out when applying for the license. J. L. Eley was the principal and R. E. Lee verified the security. J. L. applied for the license at the courthouse that was located in Floyd, West Carroll Parish, Louisiana which at that time was the County Seat for West Carroll Parish. 

The next section is a treasure of genealogical information. J. L. Eley and his parents information and Alice Lee and her parents information. I can use this information for further research. On the last section the information is filled out after the wedding takes place and filed at the courthouse.

The witness on the license R. Lee is Robert "Bob" Edward Lee youngest brother of Alice. The other witnesses are unknown to me. J. B. Reneau was the Justice of the Peace and performed the ceremony.




Great Grandparents William Alford Lee and Emma Meadows Lee

William Alford Lee and Sophronia Emma Meadows
THE LEES FROM ALABAMA

William Alfred was born 06 Oct 1847 in Tecumseh, Cherokee County,  Alabama. William died 18 Oct 1917 in Oak Grove, West Carroll Parish, Louisiana.

Emma was born 10 March 1850 in Wetumpka, Elmore County, Alabama. Emma died 11 Nov 1920 in Oak Grove, West Carroll Parish, Louisiana.

William Alfred and Emma are interred in the Oak Grove Cemetery located in Oak Grove, West Carroll Parish, Louisiana.

William Alfred Lee and Sophronia Emma were married 05 September 1869 in Tallapoosa County, Alabama.

William and Emma's children were James "Jim" William, Dolly Ophelia, Robert "Bob" Edward, and Alice Lee. Jim married Nancy Matilda "Nanny" Wynn, Dolly married John "Johnny" Houston Edwards, Alice married Jackson "Jack" Lawrence Eley.

James William Lee was born 03 July 1869 in Alabama. Uncle Jim died in 27 June 1929 in Oak Grove, West Carroll Parish, Louisiana. Uncle Jim and Aunt Nanny married about 3 July 1899 in Alabama. Uncle Jim is interred at Oak Grove Cemetery in West Carroll Parish, Louisiana.

Dolly Ophelia Lee was born 11 June 1879 in Elmore County, Alabama. She died 15 December 1970 in Harpersville, Shelby County, Alabama. Dolly married John Edwards 5 March 1899 in Elmore County, Alabama.

Robert "Bob" Edward Lee was born 5 September 1882 in Alexandria City, Tallapoosa County, Alabama. He died 11 December 1941 in Oak Grove, West Carroll Parish, Louisiana.

Alice Lee was born 9 November 1887 in Tecumseh, Alabama. She died in Pioneer, West Carroll Parish, Louisiana 26 January 1960. Alice Lee and Jack Eley married 29  June 1913 in Floyd, West Carroll Parish, Louisiana. Granny was 26 years old when she married Jack Eley.
Jim, Dolly, Alice, and Bob Lee, Emma Lee seated

William Alfred Lee and Sophronia Emma Meadows Marriage Information


Cover Page for the Marriage License 1869 Lee and Meadows 
License 245
Index to Tallapoosa County, Alabama marriages. William Alfred Lee and Sophronia Emma Meadows are my great grandparents.







The top part is an application for a marriage certificate. The bottom part is recorded after the ceremony at a later date. 









A marriage bond for Wm. A Lee and Emma Meadows








Marriage Bond for W. A. Lee and Emma Meadows.

Consent note from J. C. Meaders for his daughter Emer Meadows to marry William Lee. 







Consent note from Druciller Lee for her son William to marry Emer Meadows. 










Source
"Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/29F2-YZ6 : accessed 13 Apr 2014), William A Lee and Emma Meadows, 05 Sep 1869; citing Tallapoosa County; FHL microfilm 001302446.