P C Smith (1872-1921) Chilton County Alabama

This is a page from "Chilton County and Her People" by Thomas Wyatt, 1940.

"Said to have been the first to raise peaches commercially in the county was the late P C Smith..."

I believe this is Paul Clifford Smith (1872-1921), my husband's great great grandfather.
His obituary is from the Chilton County Alabama Union Banner, June 16 1921.

Group of children in Clanton, Alabama late 1920s

Among my husband's grandmother's photos, I found a photocopy of this picture and another page with a list of possible identifications.  I created the labeled scan of the photo above.  My husand's grandmother Frances Smith is seated on the second row next to her sister Annie.  Frances was born in 1924 and Annie was born in 1922.  This picture was most likely taken in Clanton, Alabama where they lived.  If you see someone you recognize who was not identified in the photo, please let me know!

These are the identification guesses noted for the above photo.
Top row:  Celia Gerald?, unk, unk, Atkinson?, Peggy Page? (Could one of these girls in the top row be Theda Wyatt?)
Second row:  unk, Neal Ousley, unk, Frances Smith, Annie Smith, unk, James C Martin, Nell Rocket?, unk
Front row:  Jimmy Wyatt, Flem Higgins, Joe Frank Higgins, Wilbur Prince (standing), Ann Callen?, Billy Callen, unk, Martha Higgins?, Oscar Jones, Eric Hart?

Burials in High Log Cemetery, Bullock County, Alabama

While going through old photos and documents that belonged to my husband's grandparents, I came across a photocopy of seven typed pages entitled "Burials in High Log Cemetery, Bullock County, Alabama" compiled by James W. May, August 24, 1978.

Notes that were written on the title page before it was photocopied say, "In 1979, Dr. May was professor at Emory, and possibly a Methodist Minister.  His mother was an Eidson and lived at Fitzpatrick.  He & his cousin, Bill Eidson, were searching for some relative of theirs."

The handwritten notes also say that this cemetery was known as Crow Cemetery and many of the graves are probably African-Americans.  Dr. May indicates there are a large number of unmarked graves as well.

I discovered the University of Alabama website has a section of Alabama maps and a listing of cemeteries by county that includes location information.  I found a pdf here:  Bullock County Cemeteries
 
High Log is included with the following information:
High Log -  Locale: 119 -NW -  Location: T14N, R21E, Sec 26 - Church Affiliation and Remarks: approximately 50 marked and many unmarked graves; first known interment: Michael Barnett, Jr.(1796-1836); last known interment: Napoleon Jackson(1905-1947); Barnett, Black,Foxhall, Hill, Moss, Orum and Tompkins are also found here (13) (22) (23)
 
This is a listing of the names included but not the entire tombstone transcription. 
Many of the inscriptions included more information that I am happy to share with you if interested.

1. Allen, Martha C. d. 1875
2. Barnett, Andrew L.  d. 1871
3. Barnett, Carrol Reid 1832-1863
4. Barnett, Carrol Reid 1860-1863
5. Barnett, F. Decalb Charles Montgomery 1824-1837
6. Barnett, Mary E.  1828-1876
7. Barnett, Michael 1796-1836
8. Baskin, Luvenia  d.1889
9. Black, Martha A 1850-1853
10. Black, Philo B.
11. Black, R. E. 1829-1853
12. Black, William d. 1851
13. Foxhall, Robert H.  d.1857
14. Hill, Archibald 1824-1894
15. Hill, Luther 1883-1885
16. Hill, Susan Archer 1864-1864
17. Hill, Susan Tabitha 1839-1906
18. Hodge, Jeremiah d. 1858
19. Huckabee, Emily Virginia d.1851
20. Jackson, Bennie L.  1911-1946
21. Jackson, Gustavus
22. Jackson, Malinda 1867-1917
23. Jackson, Napoleon 1905-1947
24. Jackson, Rebecca d. 1900
25. Jackson, Wiley 1868-1933
26. Jackson, Willie Ann d. 1914
27. Jones, William W. d. 1858
28. Locke, Susanna d. 1842
29. Mackey, Henry 1893-1917
30. Moss, Charles Townsend 1892-1903
31. Moss, Lula G. Barnett 1858-1884
32. Orum, Emma Gertrude 1866-1888
33. Orum, James 1829-1900
34.Orum, Jonathan d. 1865
35. Orum, Martha Corbitt 1807-1865
36. Rutland, Ida 1914-1919
37. Rutland, Willie Lee 1885-1888
38. Smith, Mary Ann d. 1865
39. Todd, Lula Jackson
40. Tompkins, Phoebe b. 1889
41. Tompkins, Rachael
42. Tompkins, Sarah 1846-1895
43. Tompkins, Sarah Rebecca 1840-1843
44. Turnipseed, Morgiana Catherine 1828-1895
45. V          FV  (Footstone only with initials)
46. Watkins, Mattie 1910-1918
47. Yates, Susan H. 1853-1879

Finds from Chilton Union Banner newspaper archive: Smith and Higgins

I have found Facebook to be a great resource for genealogy.  There are many pages specific to the history of  certain surnames and places.  One that I have been following is the Chilton County (Alabama) Historical Society page. My husband's maternal grandmother is from Clanton, Alabama.

A recent post was in regards to the newspaper archive of the Chilton Union Banner provided by the University of Montevallo.  It can be accessed through their website here:  W. M. "Mack" Wyatt Digital Archive and through Archive.org. 

 From this archive I came across some great finds!

The death notice of my husband's third great grandmother Josephine Smith Higgins (1845-1913).  This is from the issue dated May 8, 1913.

Also the wedding announcement of his great grandparents Milton Smith and Inez Higgins.  This is from the issue dated April 7, 1921. 

I spent a day or two trying different search methods to locate the information I wanted.   Since I already knew the death date and the wedding date, I went to the issue immediately after the event I was interested in.  Opening up that issue, I could search within that issue for the name I was looking for. 

For a more broader search, I used the Google site search of Archive.org with the name Union Banner in quotes followed by a full name or surname.   I came up with several articles that mentioned my husband's ancestors or family. 

Alice D Lenoir White and N J Callaway

Alice D Lenoir was born January 30 1859 or 1860 to Robert C Lenoir and Emeline Jones.
(She states in her widow's pension application after the death of N J Callaway that she was born in 1859.  The 1900 census says 1858.   Her tombstone says 1860.)

The 1870 Baker Co., AL census lists Alice D Lenore age 10 in the household of RC Lenore.

She married David Robert White on November 20, 1879 in Chilton County,  Alabama.  This marriage record is available at FamilySearch.org in Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950.

The 1880 Chilton Co., AL census lists Alice White age 19 wife of Robert White.  They later have two daughters, Eva born November 1880 and Annie born February 1882.



David Robert White died in 1885.  You can view his FindaGrave Memorial here: David R White

Alice Lenoir White marries second N J Callaway on  January 5, 1891 in Chilton County, Alabama.
N J Callaway was widowed and Alice becomes the step-mother of his seven children:  Evan, Lucian, Luther, John, Ammie, Bettie, and  Katie.  They have one daughter together, Gussie Callaway.

The 1900 Chilton County, Alabama census lists N J Callaway, Alice, John, Luther, Katie, Gussie and Eva White.


N J Callaway died 1921 in Chilton County, Alabama.  You can view his FindaGrave memorial here: N J Callaway  His first name is listed as Newton in the 1850 and 1860 census records. All other records say N J.

Alice D Lenoir White Callaway died 1931 in Chilton County, Alabama.  You can view her FindAGrave memorial here:  Alice Callaway
 
You can find the transcribed obituaries of Alice and N J Callaway (here spelled Calloway) at http://www.alagenealogy.com/Some-Obituaries-of-Central-Alabama.htm.
These transcriptions say Alice Drucilia and Newton Joseph.  I do not know if those names are in the original obituaries or were added.  

Higgins Family Cemetery, Chilton County, Alabama

While doing genealogy searches I came across the Lake Mitchell Home Owners and Boat Owners Association.  Located in Chilton County, Alabama, Lake Mitchell is near the town of Clanton.  A local resident with an interest in the history of the area posted an article about the nearby Higgins Family cemetery.  One of the photos is the headstone of Benjamin Franklin Higgins and Josephine Smith.

B F and Josephine Higgins are my husband's 3rd great grandparents.  Look here to read the article and see the photo of their headstone: Higgins Family Cemetery article and photos

A Group of Thorsby Boys - 1914

I found this newspaper clipping in a box of family history information that belongs to my husband's grandmother.  It is from the Central Alabama Advertiser dated June 26, 1974.  The picture is a group of Thorsby boys from 1914.  Included in the picture is my husband's great grandfather Milton Smith.

Thorsby is a town in Chilton County, Alabama.

Vines Smith (1794-1857) and the interesting things you find on the internet

I like history.   I especially like when I find information that links an ancestor to some interesting part of history. 

I decided last night to look at a branch of my husband's family that I hadn't looked at in a while.  I began with what I already knew:  Vines Smith, the father of Josephine Smith Higgins, was in the 1850 Coosa County, Alabama  census.  He has an entry on Findagrave.com that says he was born 1794 in SC and died 1857 in Alabama and is buried in the Ebenezer Methodist Cemetery in Coosa County, but no headstone photo accompanies this entry.  Another website, trackingyourroots.com, lists those same dates for an unknown Smith in what is called the Higgins Cemetery, in Coosa County.  Some quick internet searches found various postings on genealogy message boards.  There were others researching this same tree and I admit to following their trail.  It is so much easier when you know where to look!

Over and over I saw researchers saying that Mr Smith was living in Clarke County, GA around 1830 but moves to Coosa County, Alabama by 1840.  This was verified by the census records.  Then, I found the tidbit that made it interesting, at least to me.

His name came up in a book titled, "History of the Baptist Denomination in Georgia" in the University of Connecticut Libraries archive that you could read online.   I already told you I like history.  But I also like church.  I like the Bible.  For the most part, I like Baptists, since I am one.  So this intrigued me.

Vines Smith had signed his name to a protest against his local Baptist Association, the Sarepta Association, in 1836 for joining the larger state convention.  At first glance, they seemed to be protesting missions.  But, I didn't really understand the bigger picture, what was going on at the time and what this meant.  I wanted to know if this ancestor was a "good guy" or a "bad guy" in this church dispute.  Did he do the right thing?  I also wanted to know if this was "my" Vines Smith, or possibly someone with the same name.  So, I kept searching.

I found out the Sarepta Association did include Clarke County where Vines Smith was known to live.  Next to Vines Smith's name on the document was the place name "Big Spring".  I found out that "Big Spring" is called Watkinsville today, a place near Athens, GA in Clarke County.  So it is quite possible this is "my" Vines Smith.

I also found other sites that summarized Baptist history and tried to explain the division that was arising at the same time that a revival was taking place. One site said that those that withdrew formed their own association called "the Oconee Association."  Going from there, I found that this was the beginning of the distinction between Primitive Baptists and Southern Baptists.  I found explanations of doctrine, predestination, and traditions.  I learned about the Second Great Awakening and how this inspired missionary societies and missionary work.  I admit that I can really get sucked into research...

Was Vines Smith on the "right" side of the dispute? Honestly,  I'm not sure if I would have agreed with him on this one.  But I'm glad he stood up for what he believed and registered his protest.  He was lobbying for the free exercise of his religion, and that I do support. 

Did this dispute have anything to do with the fact that four years later he leaves Georgia and moves to Alabama?  I don't know.  But I'm still intrigued, so I'll keep looking.

Chilton County Alabama Yahoo Group and John O Smith

I joined a Yahoo group yesterday for Chilton County Alabama researchers that led me to some interesting discoveries.  While searching through posts and looking at files for this group, I found a list of Chilton County names that come up in the Alabama Inventors Database.  One of my husband's ancestors, John Owen Smith (abt 1833-abt 1900), invented an apparatus for drying and curing lumber!  The Inventors Database connects to the U. S. patent drawings and specifications for his invention.  I was so excited to find something like this!  Patents for John Owen Smith

In the files of this Yahoo group, I also found a reference to a database on FamilySearch.org of Alabama County Estate Records.  This time I found the estate records and will of John Owen Smith, the inventor!

For more information on John Owen Smith, see also this page that is a personal recollection by one of his grandsons:  John Owen Smith.

John Owen Smith is my husband's great-great-great-grandfather.

Audio of Mamie Cordelia Smith

We've had an old cassette tape for some time of my husband's great great grandmother being interviewed about her family.  I'm not sure who the interviewer is, but the tape was originally recorded in 1959.  What we have is most likely a copy of the original.   Now we've found a way to convert that cassette tape to a mp3 file that we can save and share!   I'm so glad to be able to save such a treasure from being lost if that tape were to become damaged or destroyed.  I've been listening to tapes of my own grandmother also that were made in the 1980s.  Some of them have already been damaged and are almost unusable.  Hopefully we will be able to preserve these and share them with our families.


As you will hear in this clip from the tape, Mamie Cordelia Smith was born in 1875 in Bullock County, Alabama.  Her parents were Jasper William Smith and Dulcena Elizabeth Moss.  This clip is just the beginning of about 30 minutes of dialogue.  She goes on to give the names and birth dates of her children and tell about what her life was like.  If you are interested in hearing the entire tape, let me know. 
Audio of Mamie Cordelia Smith

Alice Inez Higgins

Alice Inez Higgins
born July 24, 1900
died June 24, 1942 in Clanton, Alabama
married Milton Smith April 3, 1921

Benjamin and Annie Higgins

Over the weekend I was able to scan some pictures from my mother-in-law's family. This is one of the older pictures. This is Benjamin Franklin Higgins and his wife Annie Mizelle White Higgins. Benjamin was born Oct 8, 1872 in Alabama and died April 23 1960. Annie White Higgins was born February 20, 1880 and died August 1, 1968 in Alabama.

These are my husbands great great grandparents on his mother's mother's side.