Wordless Wednesday: Widow of Pleasant Burnett, Sr. Anna Tear's Will

Tombstone Tuesday: Eliza Jane Burnett Ramsey

Eliza Jane Burnett Ramsey has been one of my elusive ancestors. She is my maternal great grandmother, the mother of Mary Lavenia Ramsey Coon. The progenitor of the Burnett family was John Burnett from St. Nicholas Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland.

Eliza Jane Ramsey is buried in the Wingo Family Cemetery in Pike County, Mississippi. Wingo Cemetery is located on county Hi-way 93, about 4 miles south of Pricedale, Mississippi, on the east side of the road. There are eleven markers in the cemetery and three unmarked graves. Jane died September 9, 1933 at the age of seventy-nine. She was seventy-five years old on the 1930 Pike County Census living with her son and his family. Eliza Jane Burnett was born July 20, 1854 in Pike County, Mississippi.  Ace was her husband of fifty-years is buried along beside her. 

The headstone for Ace and Jane is a simple long rectangle headstone. I wonder if their oldest daughter Mary Lavenia could be buried in an unmarked grave there with them. 

Ace and Jane Ramsey Tombstone

Buried in Wingo Family Cemetery, Pike County Mississippi

___________________________________________________________________

Source

Find A grave Memorial #13627042, Created by: Nellie (Sanders-Sharp), Record added March 15, 2006 http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=13627042&ref=acom

Matrilineal Matriarch Monday

Eliza Jane Burnett

The Burnett family is one that I stumbled across as I was researching my maternal family line of Ramsey.  Asa M. Ramsey was married to Eliza Jane and her last name was unknown. The surname of my great grandmother was elusive and my cousins didn’t know her surname either. Mother was deceased and all her siblings were deceased, so there was no one to ask about Asa and his wife Eliza Jane. I had looked for any connection or hints as to what her last name was since I started researching family fifteen years ago.

But there wasn’t a breakthrough. Then one day I decided to do a Google search for Asa M. Ramsey born 1849 in Missouri and his wife Eliza Jane. I had used Google for searches of elusive family members before, but her name hadn’t come up in the search results. This search was different. Someone had posted a family tree online and that came up in the search results. Bingo! When I looked through the chart there was Asa Martin Ramsey married to Eliza Jane Burnett.  I have found the last name of my maternal great grandmother. This clue opened up this family line and I found census records with Eliza Jane and Asa on them. Eliza Jane was living with her mother and siblings on the 1960 Holmesville, Pike County, Mississippi census. Sharing our research with others is a vital part of genealogical research.

The research on the Burnett line has taken me back to Virginia to the Old Rappahannock area, and beyond.  The three volume book by June Bork on the Burnetts and Their Connections is a resource that I have used to guide me in my research. As with any resource you use that as a guide but you verify the information for your particular ancestor with all available records and by doing a thorough search of the ancestor. I have DNA tested with all three testing companies, Family Tree DNA, Ancestry DNA and 23andMe, and have several Burnett matches When I was confident this was my ancestor then I added her to my family tree along with Asa Martin Ramsey.

Eliza was born Jul 1854 in Pricedale, Pike County, Mississippi and died 1933 in Pike County, Mississippi. ■

Image from Google Images

Sentimental Sunday: Mother the Stay at Home Mom

Mother was a “stay at home mom” before the term was coined by the younger generation of our day. She was the classic example of a stay at home mom. She was talented and gifted in the art of homemaking and gardening. Her duties were those of a wife who took seriously the job, caring for her family and nourishing them. Mother was a skillful seamstress. She made her daughters dresses, from those valuable flour sacks that she bought flour in. We girls wore dresses and we were dressed to look like ladies. Those sacks were especially hand picked by her. That was during the era when families went to the grocery store and bought large quantities of food that would last a month, or until their next trip to the grocers.  

The meals that we ate were prepared at the hands of Mother, and they were plentiful. The large meal for dinner, as the younger generation now calls lunch, was enough for two meals. The leftovers were left on the table, covered with a large white cloth, and the leftovers were eaten for supper. Rarely was food left over from the last meal of the day. This was a tradition in the family until she was in her late sixties. Even for family gatherings and holidays the food was covered with the white tablecloth and left on the large dining table at my parents' house. Traditions are with us for many years and are sometime difficult to let go of. 

Mother definitely had the art of cooking down perfectly, and she was a talented gardener, as well. In my child’s eyes it seems whatever she touched in her vegetable garden and flower garden grew and was healthy and flourished.

She was happy living on the farm, and was a farmer at heart. Mother died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 78, 28 February 1993 in Arcadia, Bienville Parish, Louisiana. She was born in Brookhaven, Lincoln County, Mississippi to Mary Lavenia “Venie” Ramsey and Christopher Columbus Coon. She was the youngest daughter of the couple.  

Alma Lavenia Coon Eley was the wife of Esters Eley, and they were the parents of eight children; two sons and six daughters. Only one of the eight children was born in a hospital. So, she knew what it was like to manage a household and family of ten. She was involved in the everyday activities of her family. Living on the farm was a life that kept the family busy and without boredom. There was always something to be done, and the days began at the crack of dawn.

Mother in her flower garden in 24 June 1982. She and daddy lived on the Chicken Farm in Sibley, Lincoln Parish, Louisiana. She was gathering vegetables and looking over her flowers. Daddy was watching as we took the picture of his dear Alma. Mother is holding squash in her hand. Mother was sixty-nine years old when this picture was taken. 

Sibling Saturday: Luther Blunt the One that Wasn’t Gone

Luther Blunt 

This photo was taken 1968. 

       This photo was in the possession of Mary Alice Coon, 

and she gave to this author for her private collection

There are so many unanswered questions of Mother’s family after the death of Venie, Grandmother Coon about 1923-1924. Grandmother Coon died unexpectedly and her death is a mystery, and one that may never be solved since there is no record of her death in the state of Mississippi.  All Mother’s siblings have passed away and there are no relatives in which to turn to ask questions except my eighty-four-year-old double first cousin Mary Alice. Mary Alice is the daughter of Mother’s brother Morris and his wife Irma, Daddy’s sister. She has helped me in so many ways with the research of our Edwards and Lee relatives; however, she doesn’t know what happened to the first two sons of Grandmother Coon after she died in Mississippi supposedly in a hospital.

I have asked my older living sibling and she doesn’t know anything about family and really isn’t interested in genealogy. My cousin is interested in genealogy, family, and finding answers, but she is as stumped on these two family members as I. So, it is me the self-appointed family historian (because no one else wants to do it) find mother’s siblings after their mother died. This is a quest that I have been on for ten years; finding Mother’s siblings, the Blunt and Coon siblings. The gap is closing in on the Blunt and Coon siblings; Joe, Luther, Julia Mae, and Mamie Blunt; Morris, Essie, Jane, George Coon; and Henry Rowan Coon, Granddaddy Coon’s son by his first wife Missouri Cowart.

The search for Luther was put on hold after searching for Luther Blunt and not finding him on any records in Mississippi, Louisiana, or Arkansas. Since he was not found on 1930-1940 censuses or records that must mean he possibly died soon after his mother’s death. The Blunt/Coon line has been researched for ten years and the search for records has been exhausted; or so I thought. The purpose in looking for Luther in those three states is, after Grandmother Coon died the other family members, Granddaddy Coon, his children, and Coon relatives were found in Chicot County, Arkansas, West Carroll Parish, Louisiana, and Southeast Louisiana, so I thought possibly Luther migrated with them.  Luther Blunt was the second oldest living child of Willie and Venie Blunt. He was born 29 Aug 1901 in Brookhaven, Pike County, Mississippi.  

This genealogy buff isn’t one to give up easily and the search for half Uncle, Mother’s half-brother Luther Blunt was jump started when my cousin Mary Alice in the 2015 sent me some family photos that I did not know existed. One of the photos was of Luther Blunt or (Uncle Luther is the writing on the photo) and was dated in faded ink 1968. I have had that photo for a year and I get those photos out frequently and look at them just for “memories sake.” I have looked at that photo of Uncle Luther several times in the past year, and recently it came to my mind, “Uncle Luther, 1968! He isn’t dead he was alive in 1968, so he would be on censuses.”

One of the tips in genealogical research for breaking through difficult genealogical problems it to go back over the records and information that has been collected for an ancestor. One more time I went back through those pictures and on the picture was the date 1968. He didn’t die after Venie died about 1923 or 1924. He is alive somewhere in Mississippi, Arkansas, or Louisiana. I had found Joe Blunt in Louisiana and he is most likely living near his brother.

Another research clue when looking for ancestors or collaterals is to look at spelling variations in names. I knew this, but I had never seen the surname of mother’s half siblings’ names spelled any way except Blunt. Armed with this new found information, the spelling variation of the name, the year on the photo, and the clues that I know that every genealogist uses when they come upon a difficult problem, I set out to find Luther Blunt. First, I looked for Luther Blunt in a narrow search on the 1930 census. Then I looked for Luther Blount on the 1930 census in Mississippi. Bingo! I found a Luther Blount and the age and place of birth fit, as did the place of birth of his parents. Then, there was Luther Blount, with a wife and children on the 1940; also living with Luther, who was the head of the family, was a brother Joe Blount age 45 and widowed. Double bingo! Luther and Joe living in the same household, and Joe was widowed; no wonder I couldn’t find him and his wife in 1930 his name was spelled differently and he was living with his brother. Cousin Mary Alice had told me that Uncle Luther was married and had two or three girls. Luther Blount and his wife Effie had three daughters.

Now this family is coming together and facts are being pieced together about where the children went after the sudden unexpected death of their mother. Luther was living in the area where he grew up, and there until his death.

As I was coming to the end of the research for mother’s half sibling it was a feeling of joy to know that I have added another piece of the puzzle to the Coon/Blunt family and it won’t be long to all the pieces fit together perfectly.

The research continues for the last remaining Blunt siblings, but that is a story for another day. 

Friday Family Findings: John Houston Edwards

Truman,, Dolly, and John Houston Edwards

Edwards is one of those fairly common names in the United States. It probably rates about fifty three in the rankings in the United States according to the  2000 census. What that means to the genealogist is, that particular family line could be difficult to research and pin down your Edwards ancestor. Then, to make it more difficult is to have a John Edwards. But serious genealogists use tips and clues to track down their John Edwards or any common surname that may be in their family line.

Well, it so happens that I have a John Edwards in my direct family line. My father’s biological father John Houston Edwards. My father Esters Eley was born about 28 Jun 1908 in Eros, Jackson Parish, Louisiana to Alice Lee.  Daddy knew who his father was and shared that with his oldest children. 

John Houston Edwards was born 25 Oct 1874 in Houston, Harris County, Texas. His parents are living in Washita Township in Polk County Arkansas in 1880. John is five years old on the 1880 Washita Township, Polk County, Arkansas.  How did John Perry and Nancy get the family from Texas to Polk County, Arkansas? Why did they leave Texas to go to Arkansas? Was it better opportunities for jobs? I stated John Perry was was born in Georgia as were his parents. His wife Nancy stayed at home, or as the younger generation calls it today “a stay at home mom.” John P. and Nancy had five children, three daughters and one son by 1880, and a boarder living with them also from Georgia; he was a comic artists. The youngest son on the 1880 census was named after Nancy’s father Dixon; a common naming pattern at that time. Dixon Kelly was Nancy’s father and he was from Alabama.

The Edwards apparently were on the move quite a bit by 1900 John H. was twenty-four years old and was in Sandtuck, Elmore County, Alabama and married to Dolly O. age nineteen. They married in 1899; the census showed they had been married one year and had no children. The information for John’s birth was October 1775, Dolly, his new bride, was born June 1880, and she was born in Alabama. John was apparently following in his father’s footsteps because he also was a farmer.

About 1903 the Edwards and Lee families migrated to Louisiana and by 1910 they were living in Ward 1, on Pine Bluff and Columbia Road, in Jackson Parish, Louisiana. By the time the Edwards was listed on the Louisiana census the family had grown to six children born between the ten year census span. Tillman was the oldest child and he was born after the 1900 census; he was nine years old. Maggie was the oldest daughter and she was eight years old. Then, Reathey came along two years later. Possibly Dollie lost a child in between because of the two year span. Marvin was four years old and then there was Noah age fifteen months. Noah is an unusual name if you look at the naming pattern for the other children. Where did the name Noah come from? Was there a Noah in the Edwards line? Was there a Noah in the Lee family’s line? Reathey, Marvin, and Noah were born in Louisiana, and the family was on the move again back to Alabama.

John H. and Dolly were again parents of three boys by the 1920 Harpersville, Shelby County, Alabama census. Leonard, was eight years old, Lawrence was five, John was three years old, and those three boys were born in Alabama. The Edwards family left Louisiana after the birth of Leonard and went back to Alabama. The Lee family stayed behind in Louisiana. Dolly’s mother Emma died 11 Nov 1920, and her father William Alfred died 10 Oct 1917 in West Carroll Parish, Louisiana where their three other children James W. “Jim,” Robert E. “Bob,” Alice the youngest of the four lived.

John and Dolly were living in Vincent, Shelby County, Alabama when he registered for the World War I Draft Registration Card E. The Edwards family is staying in the same place up to 1930, and there were two more children. Odessa and Truman, were born by the time the 1930 census was enumerated. Odessa was nine years old and Truman was six years old. Dolly would have been forty-four years old when Truman was born. Truman was Dolly and John’s special child; he was born with downs syndrome. The family was living in Shelby County by the 1940 Census was taken.

In 1940 John H. and Dollie were now getting up in years and still listed as farmers. John was sixty-five and Dolly was sixty-two, Truman was sixteen years old. They were living in Vincent, R. 1, Beat 10, Shelby County, Alabama by April 1, 1935. The hours that John stated he worked was fifty-five hours. By 1940 they lived in the same place. The Edwards were settled now in Alabama and that is where they lived until they died. The years they were living in Louisiana was a busy time for them, and the Lee families. Once the Edwards migrated back to Alabama that was their home until John Houston died 15 Aug 1954 in Shelby County, and Dolly Ophelia died 9 Dec 1970 in Sylacauga, Talladega County, Alabama. Both are interred in Vincent Cemetery in Vincent, Shelby County, Alabama.

Thursday Thoughts: Aunt Irma My Favorite

Irma Kamile Eley born 3 Mar 1912
 Eros, Jackson Parish, Louisiana

Most people have a relative that is special to them, whether it is in being generous, kind, treating you special, or other reasons. There is one favorite relative that we remember.  That one relative who you have fond memories of, and you are happy when you think of them. My Aunt Irma is my favorite Aunt.  There were other aunts such as Aunt Gladys, Aunt Ellen, Aunt Dolly Hall, Great Aunts Leakie Lee, and Aunt Dolly Edwards, but Aunt Irma was the One. Why was she my favorite? What are the memories that I have of her? Who was she?

Aunt Irma lived in Port Arthur, Texas and was at one time married to Uncle Morris Coon, mother’s oldest brother. They married 20 Sep 1930 in West Carroll Parish, Louisiana. They had three children two girls and one boy. So, their children were my double first cousins. Then, one day Aunt Irma and Uncle Morris divorced. 

Four years ago I reconnected with my double first cousin eldest daughter of Aunt Irma and Uncle Morris, after having lost contact since the early sixties. Aunt Irma came to visit us often when I was growing up in West Carroll Parish; however, when my family moved from West Carroll to Lincoln Parish she didn’t visit. Probably the reason for that was in West Carroll the sisters, aunts, her mother, brother and other relatives lived there. When she did visit us those visits were memorable.

Aunt Irma worked as a waitress in a drug store in Port Author, and in my child’s eyes she was rich. She brought us girls' clothes when she came to visit; usually two or three large bags of clothes.  Those are “hand-me-down” clothes, not new ones. But to us girls they were new and very much needed. Aunt Irma would give us girls a haircut while there. Now, I have to tell you that hair cut lasted until her next visit the next summer. She “chopped” our hair off until we looked like boys. But we didn’t have any say over those hair cuts because it didn’t cost us anything.  So, Mother was very pleased with the haircut. Well, the hair would grow and we would look like girls again. One summer she was on to a new project. Aunt Irma decided it was time for the girls to get their ears pierced so Mary, Kathryn, and I got our ears pierced. Jean and Polly didn’t want their's pierced. We were excited about having our ears pierced and couldn't wait to start back to school to tell our friends. 

The visits were almost always visits where she made alone; her children didn’t come with her. One time I remember her bringing a granddaughter, but her trips were made from Port Arthur to West Carroll Parish alone. They were memorable visits and I treasure the memories of Aunt Irma's visits to Louisiana. She was fun loving, dressed to perfection, and always got up, put on her makeup, and kept it on until bedtime. 

When I made a visit to see Mary Alice four years ago, she shared family stories and once she started talking the memories started flowing. She told of her families travels moving from Louisiana to Texas. Of going to different schools when they left Louisiana. She told of the hardships and the good times they had growing up. She spoke of her father with such love and compassion, and talked about how much she misses him even today. 

Irma Kamile Eley was born 03 Mar 1912 in Eros, Jackson Parish, Louisiana and died 07 Dec 2001 in Groves, Jefferson County, Texas. She is buried in Memory Gardens of Jefferson County, Nederland, Texas.Her mother was Alice Lee daughter of Emma Meadows and her father was William Alfred Lee. 

I will cherish forever those memories of Aunt Irma and the visits that she made to Louisiana to see our family.  Her daughter Mary Alice and I continue to correspond and those calls that she makes to me are calls of healing for her. She tells me that I am the only family she has left. She is eighty-four years old and loves to tell me family stories and I cherish those stories. ■