Obituary of Mary Etta Putman Stanley(1870-1955)--my 2C2R

Obituary of my 2C2R, Mary Etta Putman Stanley.  She was a granddaughter of Hiram Putman & his wife Rebecca Harrison.  Hiram was the brother of my 2nd Great grandmother Elizabeth Putman Cook.

Mrs. Stanley, 85, Dies in Arkansas
Born near White Plains, Christian Co. KY in 3 March 1870
Died Piggott, Arkansas 28 March 1955
Widow of D. R. Stanley
Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. William Riley Putman 
Resident of St. Francis Arkansas for 40+ years
Moved to Piggott in 1939.
Active in:  1st Presbyterian Church, Piggott Woman's Civic Club, and Piggott Garden Club.

Survived by 
Daughters:

• Miss Lucille Stanley(Piggott, Arkansas)
• Mrs. H. A. Bailey(Little Rock, Arkansas)

Sister:

• Della Grace(Detroit, Michigan)

3 Grandchildren
6 Great Grandchildren
A number of nieces & nephews

"Mrs. Stanley, 85, Dies in Arkansas," The Messenger(Madisonville, Kentucky), 18 Apr 1955, p. 2, col. 5; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 29 May 2022).

Additional Notes:  

Found some additional information in Ancestry's U.S. School Yearbooks 1900-1999 Collection. Looks like Lucille attended University of Wisconsin.  She appears on page 148 of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's 1921 Yearbook. I'd love to read her thesis.  

The other surviving daughter mentioned in the obituary is Mary Madeline Stanley, wife of Howard Ashley "Ted" Bailey. 

1860 US Federal Census Entry A G Putman--Bedford Co. TN

The above image shows the 1860 US Federal Census entry for A. G. Putman.  A.G. is Anna G Putman, the widow of William Putman. We believe she is also the sister of Wm. C. Cook, who married William Putman's sister Elizabeth.   Wm C Cook and Elizabeth Putman are my paternal 2nd Great Grandparents. Information about Anna's maiden name was passed down in her family and Wm C Cook's statement in his affidavit from Williams vs. Putman  dated  5th September 1831-- "I am the brother-in-law of Mr. Putman" appears to back that up.  At the time of the statement Wm C Cook is not yet married to Elizabeth. Their marriage took place a little over 3 weeks later on the 27th of September 1831.  If the statement is true as of the date given, it would mean that Wm Putman's wife was Wm C Cook's sister.   

William & Anna had 6 children(1 son and 5 daughters). 

• David Vance Putman--He's married to his 1st wife by this point and out of the household with children of his own living in District 12 of Rutherford Co. TN.
• Mary Ann Putman--Married to Charles Norvell(in census entry)
• Sarah Jane Putman--Married to Henry Warner(in census entry along with infant daughter, Sarah Levina Warner(shown as S. L. Warner age 3/12 )
• Willie Levina Putman--not listed may have been omitted or living with family elsewhere.  I have DNA cousins thru her line so I know she didn't die young with no issue. She was not in David's household.
• Rebecca Elizabeth Putman--listed in this 1860 entry
• Sciota/Siota Putman--listed in this 1860 entry

Not sure why these families are grouped this way.  Seems a bit odd.  Additionally, an infant named Julia Warner is listed on line one of the next page that I've yet to place.  Was she a twin of Sarah and could the age be an error?  If so the age should be 3/12 instead of 1/12,

Challenging family to trace but that holds true of most of my Cook(e) line.  😊

Sources:  "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8T7-34L : 18 February 2021), Bedford Co. Tennessee, Western Division District 9 Middleton P.O, p. 105(handwritten), Dwelling 784-786. continuing over to line 1 of p. 106(handwritten).  *NOTE This entry seems odd in the way it's presented most notably the Dwelling and Household numbering.

Tennessee State Library & Archives. Tennessee Supreme Court Clerk’s Records 1810-1955, Record Group 191.TN State Supreme Court Case Middle District Range: 33 Section: A Shelf: 2 Box: 375 Robert Williams v. William Putman, et al. (41 pages). 

Family History Articles, Updates and Ideas

I've been using the Allen Co. Public Library's Periodical Source Index(PERSI) to find what has been published and is out there on my families of interest.  You can order copies of articles of interest thru them or if you can find it available in the FamilySearch catalog at the Family History Library you can use FamilySearch's form for a lookup request.  

I'd submitted 3 articles on some of my families 15+ years back for inclusion in a county book or in the county quarterly.  I'd forgotten about it and have never seen the book but was able to find that they were published in a 2011 county quarterly.  Of course, they all are in need of being updated now.  A year after they were published, the 1940 Census was released and I found my great grandfather alive and living with my paternal grandparents.  He was apparently actually missed in the 1930 census or not enumerated in a way in which I've been able to identify him. In fact I still haven't found him in 1930 which is why it seemed likely that he was the James Jakes who died in 1922.  Add to that the fact that the Jakes are just bad about updating graves with the death dates and you can see how that might happen.  I have an upcoming article in a state quarterly that should provide an extensive update for his family. I do need to publish updates on the Morrow 2nd Great Grandparents and the Jakes 2nd Great Grandparents.  It can make you cringe when you look back on older research but it provides us with opportunity to learn.  Conclusions may not always hold water when new evidence is found and that's ok. 

With the release of the 1950 census this year I'm wondering what surprises others are finding.  I've located all of my immediate family and I'm now working on my more distant cousins.  No surprises so far for me.  Have you had any unexpected surprises from the 1950 census?

Even if you don't fancy yourself a writer it is good to get your thoughts "on paper."  Before family reunions I used to type up a progress report on the family history.  For example if I was attending the Luna reunion I'd write about the Luna, Pittman, Acuff, and Hale lines and put that in a 3 ring binder so that attendees could read.  Many times it would bring up some really good discussions or information from the older generations and on occasion,  exchanging of old family pictures.

My favorite way to keep my thoughts and notes together lately is to dedicate a Composition Book to a particular research topic.  I know these days people like the majority of their files to be digital but I seem to do better when I have a physical piece of paper or notebook.  

Williamson Co. TN--Dist 25(1836-1840)--R-S

Over the past few years I've been studying Williamson Co TN Dist. 25 in hopes that knowing how the families were interconnected will help me to find a lead and break thru my Cook brickwall.  I've been using a spreadsheet to pull together my notes and information on this community so that I had somewhere to quickly look for notes on the families if they showed up in any other parts of my research. I'm publishing this to my blog in the hopes of finding other researchers interested in the area and time period that the information here might help.  This portion contains families who were living in or taxed in District 25 of Williamson Co TN during the years 1836-1840 whose surnames begin with R-S.  When possible I've noted connections in neighboring districts.  Simply put, there is a lot of overlap of families between Williamson Co TN Dist 25,  the Versailles and Eagleville area of Rutherford Co TN and Bedford Co TN Dist. 10(Rover). Also please note that anyone listed as NOT enumerated in District 25 should probably read not listed as Head of Household in Williamson Co. TN District 25.  They may be within another household OR they may not be enumerated at all within the district for a number of reasons. 

A-C           D-H            J-L          M-P           R-S           T-Z

Ransom:

Ransom Elizabeth (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836, 1837 and 1838) Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.

Ransom John (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839) Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.
Ransom Heirs (Admin Ben C Ransom)(Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839) Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.
Ransom William K (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836, 1837 and 1838) Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.

Ray:

Ray David Enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.
Ray E Enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.
Ray Hiram (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1838) Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.
Ray Thomas (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1837 and 1839) Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.
Ray William (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836 and 1837) Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.

Reed / Reeves:

Reed Clemon/Clemmon (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836, 1837, 1838, and 1839) Enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.

Reed Josiah (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836, 1837, 1838 and 1839) Enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.
Reed William (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1838 and 1839) Enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840. May be the William R.  Reed who is on tax list of Rutherford Co TN Dist. 10 in 1837.
Reeves James (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1838) Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840

Revel:

Revel Kinchen Heirs(Admin E G Portis)(Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839) Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.  His widow was Sarah "Sally Burlison and she remarried to Francis Jackson.  He has a large probate file with many of the dist 25 folks making purchases at the estate sale.

Richardson:
Richardson James (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839) Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.
Richardson Willis (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839) Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.

Robison/Roberdson:
Robison Samuel B (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839) Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.

[Believe that this is the same Sam B Robison who is involved with the Putmans in the Deed book  It appears he is securing a wagon  and that may be why he is not in the 1840  See:  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4T-Q9MR-L?i=780]

Roland:
Roland John Enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.

Seay:

Seay Eli A (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836)  Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840. Married Polly Holstead in Williamson Co TN(25 Jul 1829)  1840 in Rutherford Co TN.  1850 Versailles Rutherford Co TN 

Seay Jane (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836, 1837 and 1838)  Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.

Seay John (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1839)  Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.

Sharber:

Sharber John--There are 3 John/Jehu Sharbers enumerated in 1840  The tax list has them as follows

John Jr (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839)
John E (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839)Probably John Ellis Sharber who married Parthenia Jones
John Sr (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839) Sharbers were from Pasquotank Co. , NC and married into Hendrix & Taylor Families

Sherwood:
Sherwood Daniel Enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840. Listed on Bedford Co TN Dist. 10 Tax List: 1837, 1838, and 1839.
Sherwood William Heirs(Agent G S Nolin) (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836 and 1837) Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.

Simmons:

Simmons Mrs. Martha Enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.

Smithson:

Smithson Malachi  (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1837)  Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.

Smotherman:

Smotherman John G (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1838 and 1839)  Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.

Snell:

Snell H.B.(Dist. 25 Tax List: 1838) Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840. Listed on Rutherford Co TN Dist. 10 Tax List: 1837) 

Snell J.O.(Dist. 25 Tax List: 1838) Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840 Listed on Rutherford Co TN Dist. 10 Tax List: 1837) 

Spence:

Spence Joseph Enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.

 Sources: 

• Tennessee, US, Early Tax List Records, 1783-1895 https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2883/
• Williamson County(Tennessee) Tax Records 1800-1963) Tax records 1831-1845 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4V-V2HL?mode=g&cat=234786
• Tennessee State Library and Archives. Ancestry.com. North Carolina and Tennessee, U.S., Early Land Records, 1753-1931 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.
• Nance, R. Fred, and John W. Nance. 1983. The history of Versailles, tenth district, and its people. Murfreesboro, Tenn. (P.O. Box 906, Murfreesboro 37130): Rutherford County Historical Society.
• "United States Census, 1840." Database with images. FamilySearch.

Bedford Co TN.  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YTB-921F?wc=31SJ-161%3A1588669927%2C1588669780%2C1588665902&cc=1786457

Rutherford Co TN  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYB9-98FZ?wc=31SK-FMD%3A1588669927%2C1588669425%2C1588665902&cc=1786457

Williamson Co TN  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YB7-4DT?wc=31S2-443%3A1588669927%2C1588667580%2C1588665902&cc=1786457

• Rover Historical Society. History of Rover and the 10th district of Bedford County: lest we forget the people and things in our corner of the world. Vol. I(1986), Vol. II(1999). Paducah, Ky: Turner Pub. Co.

Finding work and more in the cotton mills

My Acuff and Luna family were like many others who left the Upper Cumberland Plateau counties to find work after WWI.  My folks ended up in Madison Co Alabama working for the Dallas Mill(Dallas Manufacturing Company.) The Dallas Mill was located north of Huntsville.  If you read thru the census records for the Dallas community in the 1920s and 1930s you can see what a big part it played in the community and the different jobs that those employed there held.  An article from the Huntsville Times in August of 1923 estimated that there were about 800 employed at the Dallas Mill.  I'd imagine it was similar to the company towns but perhaps on a lesser scale.  

If you have ever worked for a larger company you also know that they have their own social network.  Not in the way we think of social networks today.  Likes, Dislikes, Friends list and blocking someone were done in different ways than they are on today's social platforms. My grandmother's 1st cousin, Josephine Acuff Woodlee and I used to exchange letters and she had told me about some of her memories as a child.  She would hear the grownups in the kitchen discussing the "happenings" of the day.  If you are using DNA in your research(and you should be) keep in mind a person's place of employment may play a role in how two "parties" met. My mother DNA tested in hopes of finding descendants of an older rumored paternal half-sibling conceived during this time period(no suprises so far.)  I'm sure that this is just one of many DNA discoveries that could potentially be made among the families of the mill workers.  Some of the family remained in the Huntsville area and others moved back to the farm in Van Buren Co. around the time of the depression.

Sources:

"Huntsville's Large Industrial Plants That Employ Thousands," The Huntsville Times(Huntsville, Alabama), 05 Aug 1923, p. 11, col. 1-3; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 3 May 2022).

Woodlee, Sarah Josephine Acuff.  Letter to Marie Cooke Beckman(Granddaughter of 1st Cousin) postmarked 3 September 2002, Chattanooga, Tennessee. Personal Correspondence Collection of Marie Cooke Beckman. Letters from Sarah Josephine Woodlee spanning the years 2001-2004. In my possession.