Working Resource Page
Births and Deaths and Related Artifacts

Please note: This is one of our personal scrapbooks. As I have time and interest, more content may be added and corrections made. . . or not. As always, time and priorities are to be juggled, and too often I drop the balls. There is no endpoint to this page; the single common property of listed ones is that s/he is somehow important to us (relatives, neighbors, influential people, and whomever else). Please do not expect all the links to be active for any particular person.

Search the Index Page for other information on these persons. For landowners, go directly to this link.

Please note that footnote references (superscript Arabic) are hyperlinked to the respective footnotes in this document. Footnotes terminate in links that direct back to the respective locations in the table. Other links, including those within Southern Matters, will open a new tab. To return from those, simply close the tab, e.g. ctrl W. Optimized for Firefox & Chrome, screen 1366 x 768.

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Last edit: 2014-10-02
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Markers and Documents

Cemeteries Referenced Above
(Secondary Material)

Footnote 1. The entry is alphabetical by the surname that I would use to find this person. Otherwise, there's no rhyme or reason. Of course, one can simply search the page (ctrl F).

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Footnote 2. GPSs are only approximate, usually taken from a cell phone or sometimes from Google Earth. GPSs are intended to be "good enough," i.e., to assist in finding the cemetery entrance and limit the area in which one might search for a grave. Admittedly, my ambition falls short of where another's might.

Apple describes its Location Services for my phone, indicating unsurprisingly that data obtained in open areas--like cemeteries--are more precise. Conveniently, precision is displayed by a blue circle on the app (in my case, GPS Location by Acceleroto). . . .more to come.

Under each set of coordinates, the date (mm/yyyy) and method are provided, which may provide a general guage of the confidence one wishes to place in the values. iP3-6=Model MC676LL iOS6; GE=Google Earth.

Thanks to Ken Christison for his advice.

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Footnote 3. The first "Marker" is an overall image (e.g., joint marker with spouse) of the gravemarker; the second is a tighter image, allowing the script to be read; and the third slot is for a special purpose marker, e.g. CSA. The first "Obit/Eul" (=obituary/eulogy) is the published obituary; the second is other text that might have been delivered in conjunction with burial or a memorial; and the third is for genealogical data (e.g., Huxford entry or McMillan entry). The first "Life Doc" is a birth certificate; the second is the death certificate; and the third provides for expansion. Of course, only a few of these links will be active--provision of death certificates in Georgia now is a revenue center, with exceptions. Sigh.

 I wish to acknowledge with the deepest appreciation resources that have made entries in this page much more meaningful to me. I have reproduced a limited number of special-purpose pages to remind myself of which individual is referenced. "Hux Link" refers to the vignette published in Pioneers of Wiregrass. Most of these were written by Folks Huxford, whose Nashville residence was in the neighborhood of my parents, and with whom they freely discussed his compilations; later volumes, which go further afield from Berrien, have been written by his successors. In my opinion, anyone with an interest in Berrien County pioneers must have access to this work. Purchasing the full set is one of the best investments I have made. Contact theHuxford Genealogical Society. "McM Link" refers to the vignette published in Record of Connell-Morris and Allied Families compiled by Berrien County native R.H. McMillan Jr. This is a marvelously detailed painstakingly compiled book, one that my mother contributed to, a fact that permitted me to make the acquaintance of Mr. and Mrs. McMillan. The Connells came to Berrien County very early and have untold descendants. It is a "must-have" for persons interested in the topic. (Don't loan it!) It is available from Mrs. Chris P. McMillan (daughter-in-law of the late authors) at 417 Park Ave N, Tifton, GA 31794. I also acknowledge gratefully the detailed field work of Sue and Johnny Hancock for their compilation of cemetery inscriptions; although my documentation includes visiting the graves myself, their book is my first go-to, and I are indebted in a special way to them. The Hancocks sell this book privately (117 Mary Lane, Rebecca, GA 31783). Wayne and Judy Dasher have reprinted "Clippings from the Nashville Herald" and "Wiregrass Obituaries & Death Notices," together summing to 20 volumes. Aside from specific information, which is there in abundance, there is an impression of the times that one obtains by perusing those pages. Use of any of that information is indicated. I highly recommend their reprints and wish I had purchased mine earlier. FMI, click here. Of course, compiling some of these data would not have been possible without the gracious assistance of the staff of the Berrien County Clerk's office and of Judge Griner and Bobby Swain. "SM Link" refers to example material available elsewhere on Southern Matters.

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Footnote 4. The above-ground crypts, the named markers, and the simple stone markers are all Laird burials. The stone markers were moved to the edge of the cemetery in the 1970s to facilitate maintenance. They were replaced by memory, also by the use of ground-penetrating radar.

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Footnote 5. We wish to gratefully acknowledge the informative tours of these cemeteries by local historian extraordinaire Judy Hammonds Bond.

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Footnote 6. Many thanks to Jerry Griffin for guiding me through this cemetery.

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Footnote 7. Solomon Griffin bought part of the W.H. Outlaw Farm, but as far as I can tell, this sale (1889) was in error--it was not owned by the person who sold it--and was never acted on.

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Footnote 8. The death certificate was lifted from Georgia's Virtual Vault.

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Footnote 9. WHO's 3^dgreatgrandfather Moses G. Sutton Jr. donated the land for the church.

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Footnote 10. An interesting dividend of the death certificate is the knowledge that WHO's 3^dgreatgrandfather John Ellis Connell apparently went by the name of Ellis (though legally, he was "John E. Connell" or "John E. Connell Sr.," the "Sr." presumably to distinguish him from John Enoch Connell). This is in accord with and indeed suggested by the naming of EC May (Ellis Connell May) after him. Judge May is discussed in Footnote 18 of one of our deed index pages. btw, it appears that Reubin Connell was named after his maternal grandfather, Rubin Marsh. mfr who RWC's spouse Malissa's death certificate is also at the Georgia Virtual Vault.

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Footnote 11. Please see Footnote 18 of one of our deed pages.

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Footnote 12. There are several interesting points about the death certificate. First, it is signed by Sam Watson, presumably decedant's brother. If so, we know then that Samuel W. Watson went by the name of "Sam." (I have always referred to him thus, but don't remember actually having been told that he went by that name. Maybe so, I forget a lot.) If so, curiously?, he give his address as Milltown (nka Lakeland). However, another Sam Watson possibly signed. . . . always, an "and, but." Sigh. Second, decedant's birthplace is given as N.C. We know, however, that his father Mark R. Watson came of age in South Georgia. In this record, the birthplace of Mark R. Watson is given as NC, but in the 1860 census record, he reports it as Georgia; Huxford is more specific, Emmanuel County, GA. Who can say? According to oral history, the family came down from NC to South Georgia, then returned to NC, and once again came to settle permanently in South Georgia. The birth place given for Joseph Watson is consistent with this oral history. Third, the birth date on the certificate should be 1841, not 1831. (. . . not only the math on the certificate, but also, his father, M.R. Watson, was born in 1816.) Fourth, the spouse should be Martha A. Lee, not Racheal (the name of his mother). Fifth, the certificate seems to be in a single hand, including signatures.

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Footnote 13. These are the dates given by Dr. L.A. Carter on the death certificate. The dates transcribed from the gravestone, made of concrete, by Sue & Johnny Handcock are b. 1923-2-28 and d. 1923-08-18.

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Footnote 14. McMillan indicates that Justus Connell raised his family on the Connell land just south of Nashville. I have the additional information following to offer: Justus Connell's name was also spelled Justice Connell (as inferred from Census Records that list children). Justus's children were born 1843-1864, and in a property transfer in 1860, it is clear that Justice Connell lived or had lived on Lot 192, Tenth District, originally Irwin, now Berrien County, which is east of Nashville. (Part of this land lot was in the SW Watson Homeplace and the WH Outlaw Farm joins 192 on the 192/193 line and on the 192/223 line.)

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Footnote 15. Merle Laird was not married to the fathers of her first two children (Pete A. & Betty J.), whose surnames were Laird. Before the marriage to Homer "Junior" Kiser, she had married WG Spangines (spelling?). Her first two children, mentioned in the previous sentence, were enumerated, 1940 FC, with the Spangines surname in the household of James M. Laird, but oral history indicates that he was the father of neither.

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Footnote 16. Marker 03 is the original marker; Aunt Lena (d. 1986) was anxious to replace her mother's, her father's and Granny Della's marker. Although he did not have a lot of enthusiasm for the project, Daddy did not object and contributed. My sense of nostalgia is stronger than my urge to modernize. Once I could drive, I enjoyed going to Empire alone and cleaning the old markers with acid. I still go to Empire pretty often. I get the feeling that Grandpa Buck and Grandpa Sam can hear me if I make the effort to go see them. I bring them up on the news, a death in the family, a happening, whatever. (This photograph was in Aunt Bessie's estate and I am indebted to Aunt Bessie's grandson, Wayne Mann, for access.)

Obit/Eul 03 directs to a page that documents the events surrounding her murder.

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Footnote 17. Marker 03 is the original marker; see Footnote 16.

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Footnote 18. Obituary from the Berrien Press.

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mfr who completed death certificates ~1920s in GA Virtual Vault

Footnote 19. Mrs. Snead, along with select others, notably Mrs. Ruby Brown, always welcomed me in her home, and I appreciate that. Some mothers were not so welcoming, and I remember that; once I sensed that my company did not please one, I never darkened her doors again. I am still very much that way.

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Footnote 20. Much of the genealogical information re the descendants of Ethelred Fountain came from this link accessed 2013-05-31.

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Footnote 21. Much of the genealogical information re the descendants of William Brantley Moseley Sr, incl. Mrs. BC Thompson, came from this link accessed 2013-05-31. Moseley sometimes, Mosley sometimes.

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Footnote 22. She was originally buried at Wilkes Cemetery, Toombs County, GA.

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Footnote 23. Not to be confused with Georgia Ann Thompson, her niece, daughter of Freeman.

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Footnote 24. Not to be confused with Mary Ann Mosley, her first cousin, daughter of Cuyler P. Mosley.

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Footnote 25. Not to be confused with Thomas Thompson, b. 1759, who lived in Montgomery County.

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Footnote 26. After training at Ft. Sill and following a short unit assignment there, I was transferred to the 10^th Artillery at Fort Benning, GA, from 6/1967 until 4/1969. My first assignment was in the S3 shop as a green 2^d Lieutenant. Afterwards, Conrad joined the battalion; he outranked me by about 6 months; I believe that he had returned stateside before completing a full tour in Viet Nam, but I am not aware of injuries he had. Together, we controlled the "fire" in training OCS candidates; thus, we ordered 5 firing batteries in different hidden locations when to fire (timing it precisely for jets from Eglin to fly through the gap in rounds to drop napalm on the field) and giving seat-of-the-pants adjustments on deflection and elevation. (After some practice, one develops a feel for how warm the tubes are, how the wind has changed, etc.) Sometimes, we worked together in one tower and sometimes we worked separately in two towers. The main thing is that we did not want to kill anyone as the candidates ran up the hill and we walked the high-explosive rounds just in front of them. Conrad and I were diligent, both focussed, in this nerve-racking job, and developed our own relationship, not friends really, but respectful colleagues. (Unfortunately, lives--8, I think--were lost on that training site in the summer after I left.) Anyhow, Conrad and I could not have been different--he, the gung-ho career soldier and one for which everything had to be bigger than life, and I, a citizen soldier anxious to start my civilian career. But, together we worked together sucessfully until there was a dearth of captains, and I was assigned as S1 (a job in which I faltered at first, but excelled later). The obituary reminds me so much of him. Many thanks to Richard Everhart, the battalion S2 officer, for sharing this document with me. (I note that Conrad was a 1^st Lieutenant when I knew him, and thus the rank of Lt. Col. in 1969 is in error.)

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Footnote 27. Not to be confused with Tobe N. Norton Jr., who went by "Tom."

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Footnote 28. John H. Mosley's unit, the 47th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, was formed during the winter of 1861-62. As far as I know, it first was engaged in Jackson, MS (http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=CGA0047RI ), the defense of which was in 1863 (http://www.nps.gov/abpp/battles/ms008.htm). John's death in June, 1862, at James Island, SC, was unlikely to be combat related, but I have not searched much.

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