I got some good comments from my earlier post, so I appreciate you guys contributing, correcting and suggesting. That is why blogging is fun for me, as it gives me a chance to create a story for all of us and some of the readers get to add additional information.
I found Warren Moss and his family in the 1950’s census living at 904 Court Street, Lynchburg. From the looks of the census it looks like there were four separate families living at this address. Maybe it was a fourplex. The structure is no longer there. The area where it was in now the local courthouse and parking lot.
1950’s US Census
Warren was a 29-year-old WWII Purple Heart Veteran. He was employed in construction as a builder. He was living with his wife Betty Joyce, 22 years old and there 4-year-old child. If you look closely you can see both Betty and Elaine were born in England. Betty was one of the sample lines. We learn that both of her parents were born in England and she completed grade 12.
I was able to find additional records about Thomas. He was discharged from the US Army on November 13, 1945. He was injured in Operation Neptune, also known as D-Day. According to his WWII Hospital Admission Card (Ancestry, 2022). He was admitted to the hospital on June 1944 and was discharged in August 1944. Warren was injured in his mouth area. But the second diagnosis was withheld by the National Archives (NARA), unsure what that means. Warren’s WWII Registration Card indicated he was honorably discharged November 13, 1945. On the back of the card, it indicates he has a scar on his lip. That is likely his war injury.
WWII Hospital Admission Card
When I first looked his US Census Record, the thing that stood out was his wife was only 22 years old. It looks like she is 7 years younger than him. This is not entirely true. When the census is taken, it asks each participant “how old you on April 1, 1950?” Thomas had already his 1950 birthday, but Betty had not. So, they were actually about 5 years apart.
I do not know much about this granduncle. I know I met him once at a Family Reunion in Farmsville, Virginia. The year was probably mid 1980’s. Below is the picture of him with his siblings.
L-R: Odelle Moss Sublett, Margaret Moss Gough, Lillian Moss Hicks, Thomas “Warren” Moss
According to my mother, he and his family lived over the river (James River) in Madison Heights, Virginia. In fact, according to the phone directories I found on Ancestry.com, between 1953 and 1954, his family moves to Madison Heights, Amherst County, Virginia. It is also interesting that the phone directories show various occupations for him (a clerk, a painter, and a cabinet maker).
Until later, I will be exploring backwards.
Source:
National Archives and Records Administration; Hospital Admission Card Files, ca. 1970 – ca. 1970; NAI: 570973; Record Group Number: Records of the Office of the Surgeon General (Army), 1775-1994; Record Group Title: 112 retrieved from Ancestry.com
My cousin, Leigh, recently sent me some family pictures. I can’t get the one below out of my head. She looks like she just popped out of F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, The Great Gatsby.
Annie Holmes Sublette
This is my Great Aunt Annie posed in a perfect Flapper Girl dress. According to my mother, she and her cousins thought of her as “Classy Anne.” Annie was one of my grandfather’s older sisters. They grew up in rural Campbell County, Virginia. I am sure she probably had to work on the farm some growing up and dreamed of big things.
***
As you know we are living during a pandemic, but remember it was 100 years or more ago that our ancestors did the very same thing. This has brought a whole new outlook for me as a genealogist. Every ancestor I research will be viewed in a new perspective, did he or she live during the 1918 Pandemic? How did it affect their lives? Etc.
If you recall, after the 1918 Pandemic, we had the roaring twenties. The first World War had been won During the 1920’s we had an odd combination of events happening. We had the rise of jazz music, more industrialization and consumer products. According to Sarah Pruitt, “Flappers romped through the Roaring Twenties, enjoying the new freedoms ushered in by the end of the First World War and the dawn of a new era of prosperity, urbanism and consumerism (Pruitt, 2018).
Annie would have been in her twenties during the 1920’s. I can see her going to Lynchburg from her farm home in Naruna to go out to dances and to parties.
The 1910 US Census has Annie living with her family in rural Campbell County. She lived with her parents, her older sister Claudia, age 7, and her little brother Lacy. Lacy was only 11 months old at this time. Her father John Thomas owned the home and the farm they lived on.
In the 1920 US Census, Annie is listed as 15 years old. She was still going to school. She now had another baby sister, Clarice. Her paternal grandfather, George Bland was living in the home. I have been to that house. I know the quarters would be very close for a family of 7.
Annie was 20 years old, when she married Charlie Simpson on 18 April 1924 in Lynchburg, Virginia. They remained married for 9 years. According to records found, they were divorced 15 Jul 1933 (Ancestry, 2015). However, according to the 1930 US Census, she was listed as Divorced and a Roomer in a residence in Lynchburg. It is likely the couple split up and that the divorce was finalized in 1933. In the 1931 City Directory, she las listed as an Automatic Operator (Telephone Operator) for the W U Telephone Company. In the 1935 City Directory she was using her maiden name again, still working at the same company.
According to the 1940 US Census, Annie, was living with her sister, Clarice, known to her friends and family as Pete. She continued to work as a Telephone Operator. It also shows she was back using her maiden name again.
At some point Annie and Joseph Emmett Reardon married. I have not found a marriage certificate. But we do know that they lived together. They could have been common law spouses. As both had been previously married. Or they got married in a state I haven’t searched yet.
Because we do not know have the 1950 census, I have not been able to find another record other than delayed birth certificate. On this document she signs her name as “Mrs. Annie S. Reardon.” This document was signed on 12 March 1956. Did you see the “S” in her signature? My mom did the same thing. She used her maiden as her middle name. This was a nice way for women who married to keep part of their maiden name. I am not sure how prevalent it was.
Joe Reardon died in December of 1965. It is likely that Annie moved back to Lynchburg afterwards.
That is where the paper trail leaves us, but I am fortunate to have some tidbits from family members to color in the rest of her life.
Classy Anne stories:
When you are a genealogist, you want to ask your living sources while you can. That has to be the biggest lesson a genealogist learns. We didn’t ask many of our ancestors until it was too late. Maybe we didn’t catch the bug in time. Regardless, I try to keep asking mine.
I am fortunate that I asked my Aunt Carol about Annie before she passed away. Here were her thoughts in 2015.
Carol stated that her first trip out of state was to visit her Aunt Ann, she went to see Ann and Joe in Washington, DC. They took her to the Annapolis Naval Academy and saw all the soldiers marching.
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Nashella, my first cousin once removed, was also able to lend her voice. This is the gist of what she said.
Prior to moving to the DC Metropolitan area, Joe and Annie lived in an apartment at the corner of Fort Avenue and Rhode Island when they lived in Lynchburg. In the late 50’s and 60’s, Ann and Joe lived in an apartment on I Street in Washington, District of Colombia. Later they moved into an apartment in Silver Spring, Maryland. Joe was previously married and had a son named Jack. Annie worked for the Telegraph company and Joe worked for the Associated Press.
Nashella also thinks that Annie lived in Cincinnati and maybe Chicago. She worked sports games back in the early days.
Ann was the glamorous one.
__
My mother reflected about her in 2009. Lacy’s sister, Anne Sublette Reardon never had kids and married joe and lived in Washington, D.C. We use to ride the train to visit them in DC.
In 2012, I shocked my mother by revealing to her that Anne had been previously married. She wrote back, “I cannot believe these things went on in my family. Better bring a tape recorder at Christmas!! I never even heard her middle name and I think she always put an e on the end of sublet (Whitehead, 2012).”
—
Memories from Cousin Larry (August 2012)
Anne and Joe met while working for Western Union and I’m not sure whether it was in San Francisco or Chicago as they worked at both places. They were married in the early forties and moved to Lynchburg around 1946, lived here for maybe a year or so and then moved to Washington. Joe went to work for United Press International and Anne continued with Western Union until they both retired. After Joe died, Anne worked at a bank for a while. Joe had one son who was an Annapolis graduate and stayed in the Navy until retirement.
Joe was Catholic and also divorced and because he married a divorcee (Anne) he was excommunicated from the church. Anne married Simpson in the 1930’s and divorced a short time later. There were no children. I remember being told by Anne that she dated Hyman Somers in the 30’s. He was Jewish and went by the name of Hy sometimes. I knew him and he used to talk about dating Anne. That may have been where Nashella got the Sy and Jewish from. Anne was a real looker in her day and apparently partied a great deal. Even while married to Joe they went to cocktail parties and had many cocktail parties themselves. When I “became of age” I attended a few myself when they lived in Washington.
Larry Burruss, email correspondence 2012.
I am including some additional pictures so you can see her sense of style. I am sure she seemed glamourous compared to her sisters that stayed in rural Virginia.
I have been fortunate to be left a lot of genealogy bread crumbs on the paternal side of my family. I have written before about two books that have been written by my ancestors to which I can lean on for information. I hope to add to the collection one day.
Sometimes I hit pay dirt by just doing the general sleuthing on my own. That is what happened one day when I stumbled onto this nugget about the wedding day of my first cousin once removed Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Whitehead and James Blaine “Jim” Sweeny Jr.
I have copied it directly here because I love the descriptions and do not wish to alter this article. My cousin Sara has provided me with the pictures to accompany this post.
Danielsville Monitor, 2 January 1948
MISS WHITEHEAD, MR. SWEENY WED AT CANDLELIGHT CEREMONY
The Baptist Church of Carlton formed a beautiful setting, Saturday afternoon, December 27th, for the marriage of Miss Mary Elizabeth Whitehead, lovely daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Joe Whitehead, to James Blaine Sweeny, Jr., of Baltimore and Annapolis, Md., son of Mr. and Mrs. James Blaine Sweeny, Sr. of Baltimore.
Dr. E. L. Hill performed the ceremony and music was presented by organist, Miss Mary Kelly, and Mrs. Emmett Compton, soloist. The Church was decorated with candles which were placed on candelabra and forming an arch at the altar. Quantities of palms, smilax, and urns filled with white gladioli against a white background graced the altar. Placed in the center was a large silver wedding bell.
Usher-groomsmen were James Blaine Sweeny, Sr., and Emmett Compton of Annapolis. Miss Mae Whitehead, sister of the bride was maid of honor. She wore a fitted emerald green taffeta gown with sweet-heart neckline and carried a muff showered with yellow carnations florets, arranged on ribbons with matching hair motif. Bridesmaids were Miss Mary Arnold Reid of Elberton, and Mrs. Sara Bolin of Buford. They wore gowns and carried muffs similar to those of the maid of honor. Junior bridesmaids were Miss Patricia Scarborough of Elberton and Miss Obie Gillen of Lexington, cousins of the bride. Their gowns and muffs were identical to those of the bridesmaids.
Frank P. Sweeny of New York, brother of the groom, acted as best man. The lovely brunette bride entered with her father who gave her in marriage. She was radiant in her gown of ivory satin, fashioned with heart neckline and a bouffant skirt ending with a train. The bride wore the wedding gown which was worn by Mrs. William N. Zeigler, formerly Miss Janette Adams, at her marriage. A tier veil of white illusion net was attached to a coronet of orange blossoms. This veil was formerly worn by Mrs. William A. Kelly. She carried a bouquet of white orchids, carnations, and lilies of the valley. Mrs. Whitehead chose a black crepe gown with pink yoke neckline, embroidered with sequins. Her flowers were pink orchids. Mrs. Sweeny, mother of the groom, wore a royal blue crepe gown and her flowers were white orchids.
Following the wedding the parents of the bride entertained at a reception in their home. The home was decorated with foliage and white flowers. The table in the dining room was centered with the bride’s cake iced on a mound of white flowers and ferns. White candles and crystal candelabra completed the decorations. Miss Madge Yawn of Thomaston kept the bride’s book. The bride chose for traveling a wool suit worn with matching accessories and white orchids. Following their wedding trip, Lt. Cmdr. and Mrs. Sweeny will reside at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis.
I can visualize this ceremony, can’t you? Now look at these pictures.
Betty Whitehead
Betty and Jim Sweeny
I can not help but include a snippet from Betty’s mom, Emma Chloe Adams Whitehead, the author of The Adams Family, James Adams Line (1796-1982). It adds to this piece…
“Joe’s father insisted that we invite everybody in Carlton, as well as our Elberton and Madison County friends. There were probably two hundred guests for the wedding and in our home for the reception. He sat at the front door to greet each one as they entered.”
I can see Walter “Papa” being so proud and telling the world that his granddaughter was getting married and inviting the world.
I close by stating, that although my blog has come to a trickle; I am still exploring backwards. By this time in my journey, I have picked all of the low hanging fruit. The things that take longer and harder are in my path now. So, if you find any old pictures, Bibles, stories, etc. Send them my way!
My adventurous cousin Charlie went and found us the cemetery to our fourth great grandfather, Littleberry Mathews. I have written about his son on this blog. You can find it HERE. I had previously done research on the Mathews line, but I hadn’t really reviewed the information that I had on Littleberry until Charlie’s field trip. While doing so today, I learned that his given name was “Isaac Littleberry Mathews.” He went by the name Berry or Littleberry. He was the son of William Mathews and Mary Miller. He was born on 27 May 1786. There is some information that indicates he was either born in North Carolina or Georgia.
While researching, I found this descendant chart online that shows the descendants of Gwaethvded Vawr (Lea, 2019). This is unbelievable that someone has traced their lineage back to the year 1025. This descendant chart has some citations to lead to one’s credibility. Today, I just want to focus on my fourth great grandfather.
Berry’s parents had about 8 children. It appears that Berry was the third child to be born to William and Mary Mathews. We will look at the parents at a later time. Berry married Jerusha Hopper on 6 April 1807 in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. He was 20 yeas old.
In his will, I found online, it appears he had more children than I had previously thought. I will have to do some more research. According to his will, he had the following sons: Rolley (Raleigh, my 3rd great-grandfather), Charles, William, Uel, Berry, Pressley, Fleming, Richmond, and Newton. We also learn that his daughter Patsy (Martha Patsy) married Moses Jones, and his daughter Frankey (Francis) married William Jones.
Isaac Littleberry Mathews Will Pt.1
ILM, Will Part 2
It is written that Berry and his wife Jerusha were buried on their home place in Glade. So, the place that cousin Charlie visited was steps away from the homeplace of Berry Mathews family.
Graves at Cemetery
Closeup image
Cousin Charlie sent me a few words on his exploration of the cemetery:
Chimney Ruins
Chimney Ruins 2
At Point Peter, GA a.k.a. the Glade community you take the North Point Peter Road going east between the Baptist Church and the Masonic Lodge. Two roads go east out of the Glade. This would be the southernmost road. Go a little lover 100 yards east and take the first drive to the right. There is a metal gate but almost never closed. Go down the lane about 500 feet and you see an old quarry site that has been converted to a gigantic swimming pool.
The Little Berry Mathews cemetery is about 400 yards SE of the quarry in the woods. There is a clear lane and [the owner] is very receptive to having visitors if you let her know you are coming. The cemetery is on a little hill and just to the west of the cemetery is another little rise where the old Mathews home-place house was. Nothing is left now but the chimney ruins.
The three graves are about 12 feet apart. Each is actually a single crude mausoleum made of very heavy solid granite hand quarried slabs. On two of them the top cover slabs have been moved somewhat leaving an opening and the end stone is out of one of them. They would remind you of a sarcophagus and I cannot overemphasize the mass of the stones. There may have been a possibility that the coffins were above ground but I doubt it. However, the interior of each individual mausoleum is large enough for that to have been possible. For the times this was done and the early construction based on the crudeness of the engraving on the stones, this would have been the top of the line grave marker (Snelling, 2019).
Here is another description by another grave explorer:
The top, sides and ends are thus enclosed and are in very good repair. The tombs read as follows: First tomb: L.B. Mathews Born May 27 1786 Decd. Feb 13, 1845; Second tomb: Richmond Mathews Born Feb 24 1825 Decd. July 29 1846; Third Tomb: Jerusha M. Born May 1, 1790 Decd. Oct 5 1848. A fourth tomb was found but it was not as elaborate as the above ones were as it was only a head stone with the initials J M cut on it. Assume it would belong to the young son Jordan (Lea, 2019).
We can try to trace Isaac Littleberry “Berry” Mathews, Sr through the US Census and other records. The First US Census was mandated by Article 1, Section 2 of the United States Constitution. It was first taken in 1790. However, census records posed difficulties due to lack of concrete information. It would stand to reason that we would look for Berry in his father’s (William Mathews) census records for the year 1790 and 1800. However, I have not yet found any records that are verifiable.
I was able to find a notation that Littleberry Mathews was allowed to sell spirituous liquor on 5 August 1822 in Oglethorpe County. Unfortunately, I found this record before I was skilled in my citation skills.
I catch up to Berry in the 1830 Census. Berry Mathews lived in Captain Pass District, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. Living in the household were 13 “Free White Persons” and 2 “Slaves.” A closer look at the census reveals, nine children and 2 female slaves.
In the 1840 Census, Berry is listed to be living in District 237, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. We can assert that these two locations were likely one in the same, and just the names of the districts changed. He now has 7 “Free White Persons” and “6 Slaves.”
Isaac Littleberry Mathews dies on 13 February 1845, he is just 58 years old. His wife dies just 3 years later. Also buried in the cemetery is Littleberry’s son Richmond.
Until later, I will be exploring backwards.
Source:
Lea, Jenny, found online at Descendants of Gwaethvded Vawr, 2019.
During my last visit to his home, my cousin Sara allowed me to bring home this box of Whitehead artifacts. I call it that because while it pertains to my family, it is also a part of the American Story. Take for example this letter to the editor, dated 24 December 1934. Walter wrote this letter to the Athens Banner Herald in response to a news article they had run. In this letter he exudes Patriotism. I am going to give you a few lines here, and then let you read the rest in his own handwriting.
“The Legion (American Legion) believes that to protect and preserve union parallel the constitutional rights of its citizens is its first duty. Our wars have not been fought for gain on territorial expansion but for human rights. The signers of the Declaration of Independence, the writers of our Federal Constitution, our forefathers who won and established this free government, by force of arms have committed to our charge and keeping a great heritage (Walter E. Whitehead personal papers).”
“The Legion is proud of the courage and achievements of American Soldiers. They have displayed heroic virtues on the field of battle and they are determined to pay them homage. And it is their further purpose to instill in the minds of the coming generations, patriotic love for their country and its institutions (Walter E. Whitehead personal papers).”
My favorite line is “Our wars have not been fought for gain on territorial expansion but for human rights.”
Walter was a leader of men. Recall he was a Georgia State Senator on two occasions. He was also Commander of his American Legion Post, Rotarian President, Quartermaster, Major, Business Leader. He also found a way to serve his country in three wars.
There are more speeches in this box, I will post some more later.
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Side Note: Please take the time to look at the letterhead. This letterhead is a story in and of itself. For example, take the statement of goods: Guano, Wagons, Farm Implements and Cotton Buyers. All of these items seem pretty normal in terms of a General Merchandise Store, however, guano sticks out. I have only known guano to be bat poop. But it turns out it was used extensively in the 19th and 20th century of farming. See, a whole new post….if you can’t wait to learn more about guano, I found an article here: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/when-the-western-world-ran-on-guano
Additionally, please look at the members of the Stevens, Martin & Company. This is the first time that I have seen my 2nd great-aunts, Cynnie and Pellie Stevens on letterhead. I have heard that they helped the family immensely and neither of them ever married.
Family if you have stories to add, please feel free to comment here! This is why I do this.
Imagine for a minute you are going down an old country road with its twists and turns and in the distance you see an old barn. What goes through your mind? I will tell you what goes through mine. I wonder what type of barn it is. Is it a tobacco barn, used to store and dry tobacco? Is it a livestock barn, used to shelter and house livestock? Is it used to store tractors and other implements? Barns were built to solve problems for the farmer and to serve a multitude of functions.
There is a show on television called Barnyard Builders we have been watching. The premise is the restoration and re-purposing of old barns in America. They look at the way the barn was built, what kind of lumber, what type of notches. Every time I watch it, I can’t help but think of the barn at the Whitehead Homeplace.
When I did the genealogical trip in May 2015, we did go see the barn. But since I hadn’t seen the show, I hadn’t really appreciated it as an artifact that it is. If I had, I would have taken more pictures. Maybe my cousin Sara will take some for me. The inside has been reconfigured by the hunters that lease the property. However, you can still see the original beams inside. I am not sure when it was built, but I would have to imagine it was after the Civil War when he married Cena Ann and moved to the Home Place.
Stone and Wood Barn
The barn at the home place is made from large hand cut stone and wood. I believe it has a metal roof. Cousin Sara told me earlier they were going to put a new roof on it this year.
The barn stored the horse and mules. It is a short walk from the homeplace. I just found George Wiley Whitehead’s Will online, and I now know the names of his live stock. In his last will and testament he directed that Viz and Beck his mules to be sold, as well as Sallie, a Sorrel mare and Belle a Bay mare.
The Home Place
I think that our ancestors would be proud to know that this barn is still being cared for by the family some 150 years later. Thanks Sara!
While exploring backwards, I have become the repository for some of our family’s heirlooms. I could not be more proud. However, in order to be a good custodian, you want to know the story behind the object or objects.
I have my great-grandfather Peter Kersten’s revolver. It is a top-break Iver Johnson. It is a very old gun. I suspect he purchased it so after he arrived in the United States. Peter immigrated in 1893. The model that I have is probably from 1895.
I also have two books that my grandfather, Fred Whitehead had in school. One that I received from my cousin Sara, and just recently, my sister, Kathy passed on the Fryes Higher Geography book. Inside the book, it has my grandfather’s signature and a date of September 16, 1913. That is over 100 years old that he was holding this book. He used this textbook in high school.
Fred’s textbook
September 1913
Most recently, my sister let me take home a portion of a tea set of two mugs and a sugar bowl. It is unknown if there were more pieces at one time. The history of the set as we know is that it came from my German Grandparents, Peter and Anna Kersten. After inquiring with my paternal Aunts, neither of them knew anything about it. I am stuck without a story. You see, the set has images of the Cherbourg Swing Bridge that was created in 1885 in Cherbourg-Octeville, France. This is on the English Channel. Therefore, it is unknown how my great-grandparents come to have this piece. I am left to wonder. Maybe it was a house-warming gift from a family member. Maybe they took a trip at one point after they were married; a honeymoon even. Maybe Anna found it at a flea market or estate sale. Who knows?
Anna Kersten’s tea set
I think I will try to my second cousin, 2x removed, Father Ron. Maybe he can shed some insight.
Heirlooms. You do not need to fill your house with everything they owned, but to share these priceless family artifacts with each other is what genealogy is all about. Until later, I will be exploring backwards.
During our Genealogical Visit to Georgia in May 2015, Cousin Sara and Charlie took us to go see Martha’s Place. It is no longer owned by the family, but it was such a stately old home. We enjoyed our visit there, imagining it in its peak. I imagined the beautiful wrap around porch with a few rocking chairs, a hanging swing. I could definitely drink some ice tea out there.
Martha was the fourth and last child born to Walter Everett Whitehead and Luna May Stevens. Born on September 14, 1904 in Madison County. According to the family history book compiled by Chloe Whitehead, May was bedridden after Martha’s birth. May had terrible rheumatoid arthritis. As a result, she went to live with her maiden aunts, Pellie and Cynnie Stevens and her grandfather, Gus (Whitehead: 1983).
I wonder how hard that must have been to have your mother alive, but you have to stay with your Aunts and Grandfather. Also, how hard it is to be parents and to know that you cannot physically meet the demands of your child. Nevertheless, it built a very strong bond in the Whitehead and Stevens families that existed for many years to come. According to her daughter Anne, “She loved growing up with the two aunts and had many happy memories.”
Martha was educated at Shorter College, Rome Georgia. In 1924, she became a teacher. She taught in Oglethorpe County for almost two decades. She also was chosen the Star Teacher of Oglethorpe County for 10 of 11 successive years (Stevens, 1973). Her daughter, Anne, recently told me.
“Mama graduated from Shorter College in Rome Georgia in 1924. She was 20. She taught in Jefferson, GA, Marion, VA, Elberton, GA and Oglethorpe County GA (that last one was 1954-1969; I was there!) During WW2 she was in Miami working for the government.”
She married William Austin Moore on 26 December 1946 and her first and only daughter Anne the next year. Her husband was a Major League Baseball player having pitched for the Brooklyn Dodgers and a couple of other organizations.
I think it is her genes that finally started allowing our Whitehead’s to grow older. She outlived all her siblings. She passed away September 21, 2001 at the age of 97.
Martha was also a story-teller. I am so glad to be in possession of an electronic version of “Family Stories.” Martha wrote down stories that had been told to her. She saved them so that her grandchildren, Julie and Karen could understand the family history. I will continue to share those, and they are a treasure in and of themselves.
Below are some pictures we took during our tour.
Martha Whitehead Moore Home
long side of porch
side of home
Charlie giving us the history of the home
Source:
Whitehead, Emma Chloe Adams, The Adams Family, James Adams Line (1785-1982), 1983.
Stevens, Claude, The Stevens Family, John Stevens Line, 1973.
Apparently I have the matriarchs on my mind right now. I know historically the men have been the bread winners. For the most part, family the women kept the home and the family together. It was no different for Georgia. I do love her name, Georgia Kate.
Back in 2014, I wrote about my great-grandmother Georgia Kate Holt Sublette. We discussed her obituary that I had found. Since then, I have found her death certificate.
Death records can be very enlightening as they tell us the cause of death as determined by a physician or a judge. It also gives information on additional family members that we might have not any prior.
Death Certificate
Georgia died on June 3, 1950, of a heart condition, myocardosis. The death certificate indicates it was sudden. The informant for the family information is listed as Mrs. Harry Foster, we know her better as Claudia Sublette, Georgia’s eldest child. Georgia was 63 years old. The death certificate also states Circulatory failure and myocardial degeneration as antecedent causes.
Georgia Sublette
In the 1910 census, we see Georgia is living with her husband and three children, Claudia, Annie, and Lacy. It also shows that her husband, John Thomas was a farmer.
In the 1920 Census, we see that Georgia and her husband are living with their four children (Mary E, age 2; we know her as Mae) and John Thomas’s father resided with them.
In the 1930 Census, it shows the John Thomas and Georgia own the property in which they lived. Mae and Clarice are still in the home. Georgia’s mother, Sue Etta Wood Holt, has come to live with them. Additionally, a boarder is also residing there, Ralph Dudley. He is probably there to help work the land.
By following the census, 1940, in addition to Georgia’s mother, there is a nephew living in the home. Fred Sublett, 34 years old, he is the nephew of John Thomas. He is living in the home as a Farm Laborer. We can presume that Fred was working the land as John Thomas was a Maintenance Patrolman for the State Highway system. We also learn that the value of the home is $1500. I wonder why Lacy didn’t stay home to work the land.
Georgia Kate circa 1940’s
Georgia was born to Gilbert Walker Holt and Sue Etta Wood on 26 March 1883 in Naruna, Virginia. She was the oldest of nine children. In the 1910 census, Georgia and John Thomas Sublette are listed as married. It seems like the approximation of their wedding date is 1901.
JT and Georgia in front of Homestead
I do not have much more information than this. So until later, I will be exploring backwards.
Margaret Agnes Kersten was the grandmother that I never met. My Aunts and father both stated she was a religious woman. She is one of my ancestors that I wished I could have met.
Margaret was born to Peter and Anna Stalhaber Kersten in Chicago on March 13, 1906. She was the second child born to Peter and Anna. She was baptized at St. Anthony of Padua on 15 April 1906 (Source: Delayed Birth Certificate). Margaret and her older brother William were first-generation German Americans. Just for a frame of reference, in 1906, Theodore Roosevelt was the President of the United States.
In the 1910 Census, the family is living at 2804 Calumet Avenue. Also living there are three boarders. Her father Peter is a brewer.
Kersten Home-1910 Census (source: Alookatcook.com)
When she was 8 years old, World War I started. I wonder what it was like for such a young girl when I am sure her parents were worried about loved ones that were still in Germany.
When she was 14 years old, Women got the right to vote with the passing of the 19th amendment. I wonder if she ever voted?
In 1920 Census, the family is living at 2411 South Park Avenue with her parents, her Uncle Johann Kersten, her cousin Harry Stalhaber and three lodgers. She is 13 years old. Margaret and her brother are listed as attending school. I wonder what she thought about having three lodgers in her home. I know at 13 years old, young girls and boys are wanting their privacy. I am sure there was not much of that in the household of 8.
Kersten Home-1930 Census(source: Alookatcook.com)
I have a letter from Fred to his father, Papa dated 7/27/26. He is living and presumably working at the Palmer House in Chicago. He writes,
Marge is all enthused with expectancy and I hope not in vain. I know I will do my utmost to make her as happy as my means and brains will allow. She is sure one sweet girl and deserves a whole lot more than she is getting but if I can make her happy, I sure will as she wants.
On September 18, 1926, Fred and Margaret were married at Saint Dorothy’s Church in Chicago, Illinois. The witnesses listed were Joseph Donnelly and Helen Diefenbach. I believe Helen was Margaret’s first cousin. The story about how my grandparents met is a little vague. I think it was Aunt Lee that told me she heard that Margaret and her friend were walking down the street when Fred and his friend walked by. Apparently, Fred starts chatting her up. The rest is history…
In the 1930 Census, Fred and Margaret are raising their first-born, Vivian, at 509 79th Street, Chicago. Fred is listed as unemployed and Margaret is listed as working as a stenographer in the Chemical Industry. The rent is $50 per month and they have a radio. It is interesting that Fred is not listed as a veteran. In some records, the census taker makes a notation as to who they spoke to at the residence. This record does not list that. I wonder if Margaret’s mother is caring for the young Vivian, or is Fred taking care of her. Recall, this is 1930 and the depression is in full swing.
Whitehead Home-1930 Census (source: google maps)
By the 1940 Census, the last one that has been made public, Fred and Margaret are living at 618 East 77th Street. Fred is indicated as the respondent in this census. He is now working as an Accountant doing tax appraisals. Margaret is listed as not working outside the home. But, how could she, she had Larry, age 3, Annette, age 7, and Vivian, age 12. The question about education level shows that Fred, completed the second year of high school and Margaret, completed the 7th grade. So, why did Margaret stop going to school? Is this accurate?
Whitehead Home-1940 Census (source: Google Maps)
I have a 1950 Tax Return. This was the tax return for the year her husband, Fred, died (4/3/50). It listed her occupation as a Stenographer. The family is listed as living at 7939 Champlain Avenue with her parents. It shows that Fred last wages were for James R. Casey on Clark Street. If I recall, I think this was an accounting office. Margaret’s listed occupations in 1950 were at Maywood Park Trotting Association and Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railway Company.
Kersten Home (Source: Google Maps)
At some point she moves to 8638 South Sangamon Street, as that is the residence listed on her death certificate. Margaret died 27 August 1967. She was 61 years old.
Margaret Whitehead’s Home (Source: Google Maps)
I would like for my Aunts and Father to chip in and send me some more memories of their mother. I have written far more than I had planned. Hopefully we all learned about a wonderful woman, Margaret Agnes Kersten Whitehead.
Below are some more pictures that I wanted to include.
Whitehead Family
Fred and Margaret
Fred and Margaret
Margaret, Larry, Vivian, Kathy
Happy Easter! Join me again later as we explore backwards!
Exploring Backwards 