On This Day in 1928

Apr21

81 Years Ago Today
April 21, 1928


My aunt, Joella (Davis) married Noah Forrest Mace. The couple never had children. Aunt Jo was one of ten children born to Asa C. and Altha Rudolph (Brooks) Davis.

  1. Grace Erie Davis
  2. Lacy Clarence Davis
  3. Ila Lillian Davis
  4. Hollie William Davis
  5. Joella Davis
  6. Lettie Russell Davis
  7. Ellis Vaden Davis
  8. Leman Clifton “Sleepy” Davis
  9. Nannie Lucille Davis (my mother)
  10. Evelyn Elizabeth Davis


Aunt Jo with twins great grandnieces Beth and Melissa

——————————–
104 Years Ago Today
April 21, 1905

My great aunt, Armalda Vernon “Malvie” (Brooks) married Dock Emmett Cook. Aunt Malvie was one of six children born to Wm M. “Bill” and Mary Polly “Pop” (Sutherland) Brooks. See post on Feb 14th for siblings. Aunt Malvie and Dock had four children.

  1. Ruth Cook
  2. Don Cook
  3. Maynard Chesley”Mink” Cook
  4. Paul Hensley “Jack” Cook

On This Day in 1872

Apr20

137 Years Ago
April 20, 1872

My great granduncle, (also my 5th cousin, 3x removed), Daniel Sutherland, was born in Russell County, VA. He was the youngest of eleven children to parents, Jesse and Mahala (Kiser) Sutherland.

  1. Matilda Sutherland
  2. Phoebe Sutherland
  3. Mary Polly “Pop” Sutherland (my great grandmother)
  4. Emily Jane Sutherland
  5. Sarah Sallie Sutherland
  6. Alabama Sutherland
  7. Thomas A. Sutherland
  8. Margaret P. Sutherland
  9. Joseph Sutherland
  10. Samuel Perry Sutherland
  11. Daniel Sutherland

—————————
185 Years Ago Today
April 20, 1824 -July 25, 1909

My 3rd cousin, 6x removed, Mary Elizabeth Taylor, was one of six children born to President Zachary Taylor and First Lady Margaret Mackall (Smith). The evidence hinges on the educated assumption of family genealogists (http://www.jessee.org/) regarding (Frances Lea – w/o John Jessee).

  1. Ann Margaret Mackall Taylor
  2. Sarah Knox Taylor (m. Jefferson Davis)
  3. Octavia Pannill Taylor
  4. Margaret Smith Taylor
  5. Mary Elizabeth Taylor
  6. Richard Taylor

Mary Elizabeth married Colonel William Wallace Smith Bliss on December 8, 1848. After his death in 1853, she married Philip Pendelton Dandridge, 2-11-1858.

On This Day in 1840

Apr20

169 Years Ago Today
April 20, 1840 – June 5, 1866

My great granduncle, Hugh A. Buckland, was one of eleven children born to Jacob W. and Martha W. “Patsy” (Compton) Buckland.

  1. Nancy J. Buckland
  2. William Jasper Buckland
  3. Hugh A. Buckland
  4. John R. Buckland
  5. Margaret Buckland
  6. Amanda E. Buckland
  7. Jacob Alexander Buckland (my great grandfather)
  8. Egan O. Buckland
  9. Rebeckah Elizabeth Buckland
  10. Leander G. Buckland
  11. Louisa Buckland

    Hugh Buckland married Josephine Harless on October 2, 1861. Uncle Hugh, his wife Josephine and brother Leander died in a house fire 6/5/1866.

    Confederate Civil War records state;
    Hugh enlisted July 2, 1861, Wytheville, Virginia, with Company C, 50th Virginia Regiment as a Private. In May 1863, he got a receipt for clothing while he was in 1st Division Hospital, Camp Winder, Richmond, Virginia. Height 5’8″ Age 23 Complexion Fair; Eyes Hazel; Hair dark. On September 27, 1864, he got a receipt for clothing while he was in General Hospital, Montgomery Springs, Virginia. He was given a Parole of Honor, June 22, 1865, Charleston, W.Va. for Confederate veterans wounded in battle.

On This Day in 1892

Apr18

117 Years Ago Today
April 18, 1892 – August 14, 1897

My 1st cousin, 2x removed, Irene B. Jessee, young daughter of Thomas Jefferson and Mary Frances Jessee was born at Mill Creek in Russell County, VA. For a list of her nine siblings, see earlier posts in April.

On This Day in 1810

Apr17

199 Years Ago Today
April 17, 1810

In Rockbridge County, VA, my 4th great granduncle, William Houston Letcher married Elizabeth Davidson. They lived and reared four (?) children in the Lexington area. William corresponded regularly with his 1st cousin, General Sam Houston, and I am guessing that is for whom one of his sons is named.

  1. Governor John Letcher
  2. Mary B. Letcher
  3. William M. Letcher
  4. Samuel Houston Letcher

William was one of nine children born to John Letcher and Mary Davidson Houston. See post on April 9th for siblings.

A Teapot for a Tea Party

Apr15
Tea anyone?

April 15th seems a most appropriate day to share a beautiful Cartwright Bros. treasure. The antique blue and white teapot with it’s crazed finish reflects the years of use by Eliza Greever (Gregory) Davidson, my great grandmother 1857-1922. She grew up in Clear Fork, Tazewell County, VA and married Erastus Granger Davidson. I just imagine that she made tea for her family and guests, serving it in this very piece. These things take me back to a time I never knew; does that make sense?
Remember your history class and the famed Boston Tea Party?

On December 16th, 1773 American colonists dumped tea into the Boston Harbor to protest an oppressive tax. This act was one of those leading up to the American Revolution in which many of our ancestors fought.

April 15, 2009
With all respect, please realize that our forefathers gave too much for our freedom for us to roll over, play dead and give it all away without a whimper. Oh you daughters and sons, let your voice be heard today in peaceful objection.
The theme of the tea party today, is “Rally Against Generational Debt”; we are calling for tax reform on all levels of government, and we will especially be protesting locally the stimulus and bailouts at the federal level. Protecting the financial future is the least we can do for future generations?

On This Day in 1929

Apr15


80 Years Ago Today
April 15, 1929 – April 15, 1929

A baby Gregory was born and died in the arms of parents George William and Roxie Hazel (Stowers) Gregory in Bluefield, WV and buried in Bland County, VA. The poem is from a scrapbook belonging to my grandmother, Mary Jane (Davidson) Buckland. Maybe these words brought comfort to her as her cousin Wm lost his child. You see, she remembered losing her own infant twin daughters some nineteen years earlier. Infant death was so common prior to the 21st century. I suppose that the words of THE LITTLE GRAVE only scratch the surface of the pain they were forced to endured.

You need not dig it very wide,
Nor dig it very deep,
The little grave in which to hide
My baby – gone to sleep.

But dig it where the sun will shine
Upon it all the day,
And birds and blossoms all combine
To drive the gloom away.

Choose some fairspot, where in the spring
The grass will soonest grow;
And where the robins first will sing,
And daisy blossoms blow.

And take some violets from the brook,
And plant them at her head;
Her eyes had just their dewy look –
Our violet is dead.

How slow the days will come and go,
Now baby’s gone away;
But God will love her best, I know,
Although I weep to-day.

A Teapot for a Tea Party

Apr15
Tea anyone?

April 15th seems a most appropriate day to share a beautiful Cartwright Bros. treasure. The antique blue and white teapot with it’s crazed finish reflects the years of use by Eliza Greever (Gregory) Davidson, my great grandmother 1857-1922. She grew up in Clear Fork, Tazewell County, VA and married Erastus Granger Davidson. I just imagine that she made tea for her family and guests, serving it in this very piece. These things take me back to a time I never knew; does that make sense?
Remember your history class and the famed Boston Tea Party?

On December 16th, 1773 American colonists dumped tea into the Boston Harbor to protest an oppressive tax. This act was one of those leading up to the American Revolution in which many of our ancestors fought.

April 15, 2009
With all respect, please realize that our forefathers gave too much for our freedom for us to roll over, play dead and give it all away without a whimper. Oh you daughters and sons, let your voice be heard today in peaceful objection.
The theme of the tea party today, is “Rally Against Generational Debt”; we are calling for tax reform on all levels of government, and we will especially be protesting locally the stimulus and bailouts at the federal level. Protecting the financial future is the least we can do for future generations?

On This Day in 1830

Apr15

179 Years Ago Today
April 15, 1830 – October 10, 1913

My 2nd great grandfather, Jesse Sutherland was one of eight children born to Daniel and Phoebe (Fuller) Sutherland in Russell County, VA.

  1. James Sutherland
  2. Elizabeth “Betsy” Sutherland
  3. Susan Sutherland
  4. William Sutherland
  5. Elijah Sutherland
  6. Sarah Sutherland
  7. Jesse Sutherland ( have a picture of Jesse that you’d like to share ? sherrykelly@comcast.net)
  8. Nancy “Big Nancy” Sutherland

Jesse married Mahala Kiser on September 18, 1851, and they had eleven children. Pictures below show a house they lived in and also a picture of Mahala

  1. Matilda Sutherland
  2. Phoebe Sutherland
  3. Mary Polly “Pop” Sutherland (my great grandmother – m. Wm Brooks)
  4. Emily Jane Sutherland
  5. Sarah “Sallie” Sutherland
  6. Alabama Sutherland
  7. Thomas A. Sutherland
  8. Margaret P. Sutherland
  9. Joseph Sutherland
  10. Samuel Perry Sutherland
  11. Daniel Sutherland



Thank you Becky Chafin for all your countless hours of research and sharing that with us.
——————————

100 Years Ago Today
April 15, 1909 – July 27, 1975

William Vaughn Brooks, my 3rd cousin, 3x removed, was one of eight children born to William M. “Bill” and Orpha Narcissus (Jessee) Brooks.

  1. Lula Brooks
  2. Maude Brooks
  3. Hobert Ezekiel Brooks
  4. Effie Brooks
  5. Audra Brooks
  6. Clayton Brooks
  7. William Vaughn Brooks
  8. Lora Kathleen Brooks

William married Virginia Elizabeth Cook.
If anyone knows of their children, please let me know sherrykelly@comcast.net.

—————————————
106 Years Ago Today
April 15, 1903 – February 26, 1955

Avery Brooks, my 1st cousin, 2x removed, was one of eleven children born to Benjamin and Haley Victoria (Thacker) Brooks.

  1. Clarence Brooks
  2. Rosie Brooks
  3. William G. Brooks
  4. Henry Gracen Brooks
  5. Lockie Brooks
  6. Joe Brooks
  7. Avery Brooks (buried in the Stevens Family Cemetery, Sandy Ridge, VA)
  8. Ira Ernest Brooks
  9. Elsie Brooks
  10. Violet Brooks
  11. Beulah Brooks

Avery married Emily Bell Stevens and they had seven children.

  1. Lois Brooks
  2. Janice Brooks
  3. Mary Annis Brooks
  4. Merel Brooks
  5. Waylon Brooks
  6. George Kermit Brooks
  7. Jefferson Delmon Brooks

If you have additional information or pictures, or if you find incorrect information, please let me know. Also,
WHEN WILL THERE BE A BROOKS FAMILY REUNION ???

On This Day in 1898

Apr14

111 Years Ago Today
April 14, 1898

Mary Lizzie Laforce, my very distant 6th cousin, 2x removed, married William A. Parsons. Mary Lizzie was one of twelve children born to John Letcher and Rebecca (Sutherland) Laforce.

  1. Alfarie Laforce
  2. Thomas Ulysses Laforce
  3. Simeon Laforce
  4. Elijah Laforce
  5. Mary Elizabeth “lizzie bell” Laforce
  6. William S. Laforce
  7. Arthur C. Laforce
  8. Bessie Laforce
  9. John Letcher Laforce, Jr.
  10. Ada Laforce
  11. Robert Laforce
  12. Manilla Laforce