Check Your Sides: Why Ancestry ThruLines Need Verification

I've mentioned this before to several of my genealogy friends but wanted to blog about it to remind folks that ThruLines are HINTS.  Hints are suggestions which you can verify or prove wrong....or even totally ignore-- that's your choice.

This ThruLines match of mine (shown above in split screen of ThruLines beside Profile page) is a great example. This is not an error by Ancestry. In the pop-out panel of the ThruLines, it shows the match as paternal because if the ThruLines is correct, the match would be through a paternal line. However, the profile page shows that the match is on the side that I (or Ancestry) has determined to be the maternal side. My mom has tested and the match shows she matches them for the same amount. In situations such as these, keep in mind that you could still be kin to a match through that path and share no DNA. Still you would have to verify that connection.

I wish Ancestry would do a comparison of the two sides in their code and kick out any ThruLines where the ThruLines hint couldn't possibly be true. I don't guess that will happen. Of course, this would not help with the ThruLines where the side of connection is correct but the path isn't. Pay attention and verify always, especially if you are going to be basing any further research or theories on the connection.

In Memoriam: Margaret Cooper (abt 1822 - 1912)

 

Margaret Cooper

Born: abt 1822

Died:  December 26, 1912

United with the Union Ridge Baptist Church abt 1852

Predeceased by parents (d. abt 1832)

Her obituary tells of her helping her maiden aunt to raise Margaret's 3 younger siblings as her parents passed when Margaret was 10 yrs old. She also raised an orphan nephew.  

Margaret is buried in the family plot of  Bro. Tom Taylor who conducted her funeral at the Aenon Church.

I have looked for more information but have not found much other than this.  I will add any additional info I find to this post.

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, April 17, 1913, p  16, col 4; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-obituary-for-marga/206824346/ : accessed September 27, 2026), clip page for Obituary for Margaret COOPER.

In Memoriam: Maggie Thomason Sanders (1884 - 1911)

 

Margaret Jane "Maggie" Thomason Sanders

Born: January 11, 1884

Died:  July 26, 1911

Buried in the Thomason Cemetery in Bedford County, Tennessee.

Predeceased by mother--Margaret Carolina Weaver Thomason

Survivors:

Husband--Albert Preston Sanders--married November 20, 1901

Children:

George Burnard Sanders

Alta Mae Sanders Jordan

Annie Weaver Sanders Hamilton

Father--James S Thomason

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, October 5, 1911, p 15, col 1; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-maggie-thomason-sa/207920365/ : accessed October 9, 2026), clip page for Maggie Thomason Sanders obituary.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29092604/margaret_jane-sanders: accessed 9 Oct 2026), memorial page for Margaret Jane “Maggie” Thomason Sanders (11 Jan 1888–26 Jul 1911), .Memorial ID 29092604, citing Thomason Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

In Memoriam: William Floyd Elmore ( 1859 - 1925 )

 

William Floyd Elmore

Born:  August 22, 1859

Died:  July 5, 1925

Buried in Simpson Cemetery

Joined Union Ridge Baptist in 1875.

Served as 

• Church Clerk(July 21, 1900 - September 1919)
• Deacon
• Sunday School Superintendent
• Teacher of Bible class

Predeceased by:

Parents--James Hugh Elmore & Nancy Tillman Gault Elmore

Son-- Jimmie Elmore (died young)

Brothers:

James A Elmore

Hugh M Elmore

Survivors:

Wife--Salome Duggan Hester Elmore

Children:

Mary Tillman Elmore (died in  Aug 1925)

Ruth Elmore Blanton

Paul Hale Elmore

Josephine Elmore (died in Dec 1925)

Wilfred "Billie" Elmore Harris

Sisters:

Tennie Elmore Allison

Nancy Elizabeth Elmore

Brother-- Granville Sandusky Elmore

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, October 1, 1925, p 16, col 3; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-w-f-elmore-obit/207897761/ : accessed October 8, 2026), clip page for W. F. Elmore obit d 5th July 1925.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/209326792/william_floyd-elmore: accessed 8 Oct 2026), memorial page for William Floyd Elmore (22 Aug 1859–5 Jul 1925), Memorial ID 209326792, citing Simpson Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

Charlotte & James Hitchcock Divorce and Land Division in Bledsoe Co. TN (1883)

In the process of looking for more information about my 2 great grandparents Wm  P Hale & Arminda Hitchcock Hale, I found two divorces, neither of which I'd ever heard about.  One for Wm P Hale's sister and her 2nd husband which I blogged about in an earlier post and this document, the divorce of Arminda's parents, James P Hitchcock & Charlotte Hitchcock who were in their 70s.

Included here are is a summary of the entries I found along with a partial transcription from the proceedings which granted the divorce.  There was also a drawing of the land included.

To see the full entries please visit the links given in the sources listed at the end of this post.

Summary

p 158  Image 111

Charlotte Hitchcock complainant

James Hitchcock defendant

James was subpoenaed and failed to come forward and offer a defense.  

Hearing date set.

p  175 Image 119[FamilySearch IGN 8478557]

it appears to the satisfaction of the Court, that the Petitioner Charlotte Hitchcock is entitled to the relief sought. It is therefore ordered, adjudged & decreed by the Court that the bonds of matrimony heretofore subsisting between the petitioner Charlotte Hitchcock and defendant James Hitchcock be and is dissolved and this petitioner Charlotte Hitchcock be restored to all the rights and powers of a single woman And it appearing to the satisfaction of the Court that defendant is the owner of a lot of personal property, set out in the petition in this cause a portion of which is in the possession of petitioner and the Court being of opinion that the Petitioner is entitled to a personal property, as alimony he is pleased to adjudge & decree that Petitioner keep & retain as her absolute property, the personal property shown in her petition to be in her possession, which about one half said property and if further appearing to the Court that the Deft is the owner of the following described real estate, in Bledsoe Co. Term situated in the 1st Civil district in said County, One Two Thousand Tract of land granted by the State of Tenn to James Hitchcock per grant No 11233 Registered in the register 's office Mountain District Book X pages 376 & 377 and Survey is dated 18th day of February 1854.

p 176 Image 120 [FamilySearch IGN 8478557]

Nov 12, 1883

County Surveyor and Commissioners ordered to divide the land

p. 191-193 Images 127-128 [FamilySearch IGN 8478557]

Contains a description of the division and this drawing

Sources:
Bledsoe Co TN Minute Books, Civil & Criminal Oct 1881-Nov 1889, p. 158, Charlotte Hitchcock vs James Hitchcock; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39J-CQG9-5 : accessed October 6, 2026), IGN 8478557, Image 111 of 622.

Bledsoe Co TN Minute Books, Civil & Criminal Oct 1881-Nov 1889,p. 175, Charlotte Hitchcock vs James Hitchcock; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39J-CQL1-8 : accessed October 6, 2026), IGN 8478557, Image 119-120 of 622.

Bledsoe Co TN Minute Books, Civil & Criminal Oct 1881-Nov 1889, p. 191-193, Charlotte Hitchcock vs James Hitchcock; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39J-CQGS-N : accessed October 6, 2026), IGN 8478557, Image 127-128 of 622.

William M Davis vs. Lucinda C Davis-Bledsoe Co. TN(1884)

While exploring a lead on my Hale / Hitchcock line I ended up finding more about Wm P Hale's sister, Lucinda C Hale Bishop Davis.

While I have never been able to find her marriage to William Davis, I did find their divorce.

Image 111

The court claims the default judgement since Lucinda didn't show up after being subpoenaed.

Image 128  

Hearing Date:   10 March 1884

appearing to the court that Deft. Lucinda Davis had been guilty of

dwelling since her intermarriage with the complainant, with divers persons in violation of her marriage vows and it further appearing to the court that complt is a man of good character.  It is therefore ordered and decreed by the court that the bonds of matrimony subsisting between complainant & defendant be and hereby dissolved, decread & declared null and void for nothing held and that they be and are hereby divorced dvincul And it is further adjudged by the court that Deft recover of complainant all court cost in this case except state and co. tax for which execution will issue.

More clues about my Hale family. 

Sources:

Bledsoe Co TN Minute Books, Civil & Criminal Oct 1881-Nov 1889

p. 158, William Davis vs. Lucinda C Davis; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39J-CQG9-5 : accessed October 6, 2026), IGN 8478557, Image 111 of 622.

Bledsoe Co TN Minute Books, Civil & Criminal Oct 1881-Nov 1889

p. 193, William Davis vs. Lucinda C Davis; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39J-CQL1-P : accessed October 6, 2026), IGN 8478557, Image 128 of 622.

In Memoriam: Jennie Fergerson (1847 - 1914)

 

Jennie Fergerson

Born:  April 4, 1847

Died:  November 30, 1914

Joined Union Ridge Baptist Church in 1876.

Survivors

Son

Sister

I believe that John W Fergerson was her son.  He is buried at Westbrook Cemetery in Rutherford Co TN and  Jennie may alao be buried there.  I haven't been able to find much information on her.  I will add any additional info I discover as I find it.

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, April 8, 1915, p  15, col 2; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-jennie-ferguson-o/206034199/ : accessed September 15, 2026), clip page for Jennie Ferguson--obit. 

The Family of William Taylor Hale(1820-1861) of Bledsoe, Warren and Van Buren Counties, Tennessee

I found an entry for a case listed as State of TN vs. John Bishop in the Warren Co Tennessee Minute Book(June 1860-Feb 1867) The pages are numbered in the book(viewed on FamilySearch which has digitized the microfilmed records) and this entry begins on page 476 and carries over to the next page.  There are no dates mentioned in this listing itself that would tell when it was recorded.  However, it is recorded in between pages that are headed as Feb 6 1866 and Feb 12 1866 which would put it as some time in early February of 1866.  

By that time, my Wm Taylor Hale had died from drowning.  His daughter, Caroline Lucinda Hale had married John Bishop August 8th 1865 in Van Buren Co TN and was at the time of this document, about 4 months pregnant with their son, James Monroe Bishop(born June 1866)

Information on the Hale family is hard to find for the period 1860-1880,  If I am being honest, it doesn't get much easier during the 1880 to 1930 timeframe either as there are many same names to sort thru. For this article I will focus on the 1860 to 1880 time period.

William Taylor Hale Family Timeline

1820 BIRTH: of Wm Taylor Hale

1825 BIRTH:  of brother Frances A. Hale.

1832 DEATH:  of father, John Nathaniel Hale, in Warren County, Tennessee.

1841 TAX: (Dist. 8), Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1842 TAX: (Dist. 8) as "Taylor Hails", Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1843 MARRIAGE: Wm T Hale and Adaline Elzie in Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1843 TAX: (Dist. 8) as "William T Hail", Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1844 BIRTH: Lucinda C  Hale, in Van Buren County, Tennessee.(April)

1844 TAX: (Dist. 8) as "Taylor Hails", Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1845 TAX: (Dist. 8) as "William T Hail", Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1846 TAX: NOT LISTED in the Van Buren County Tax List (Dist. 8), his brother Francis was listed.

1847 TAX: (Dist. 8) alongside Francis Hale, Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1848 BIRTH: of son, James A. Hale, in Tennessee.(July)

1848 TAX: (Dist. 8) alongside Francis Hail, Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1849 BIRTH: of son, William P. Hale, in Van Buren County, Tennessee.(May)

1849 TAX: (Dist. 8) alongside Francis Hale, Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1850 CENSUS: Van Buren Co TN Dist. 6 HH #239 Wm T, Adaline & 3 oldest children

1850 CENSUS:  Van Buren Co TN Dist. 8 HH #344 Francis Hale, wife, infant dau & Mom Catherine

1850 TAX:  (Dist. 8), Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1851 TAX: (Dist. 6), Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1852 TAX: (Dist. 6), Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1853 TAX: (Dist. 6), Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1854 TAX: (Dist. 6), Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1855 BIRTH: of daughter, Mary Hale, in Tennessee.

1855 TAX: (Dist. 10), Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1856 TAX: (Dist. 10), Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1857 TAX: (Dist. 6), Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1858 TAX: (Dist. 6), Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1859 TAX: (Dist. 6), Van Buren County, Tennessee.

1860 CENSUS: (None of the Hale Family Located)

1861 DEATH:  drowned in Collins River, Warren Co., TN (Spring)

1861 BURIED:  at Shellsford Cemetery in McMinnville, TN.

Continuation of the Timeline of the Hale Family up to their reappearance in Census Records

1861  BIRTH: of son, John Nathaniel Hale.(July)

1865  MARRIAGE: of Lucinda C Hale to John Bishop(Van Buren Co. TN Aug 8)

1866 COURT: State of TN vs John Bishop assault w/ intent to commit robbery(bond Francis Hale)

1866  BIRTH: of Lucinda & John's son--James Monroe Bishop

1870  CENSUS: None of the Wm T Hale Family located on Census

1870  CENSUS:  Francis Hale Family Warren Co TN Dist 4 Dwelling & Family 37 

1874  MARRIAGE:  of James A Hale to Mary Polly Hillis

1876  BIRTH: of Lucinda & Mr. Davis' son--Luther Davis

1880  CENSUS: Adaline & Lucinda living same household (Van Buren Co. TN Dist. 8) 

1880  CENSUS: James A. Hale & Family(Van Buren Co. TN Dist. 8)

1880  CENSUS: Wm P. Hale & Family(Bledsoe Co. TN Dist. 1)

1880  CENSUS: Mary Hale Johnson & Family(Bledsoe Co. TN Dist. 1)

Transcription of the Warren Co TN Court Minutes:

page 476

State of Tennessee vs. John Bishop
No 167 Assault to commit Robbery  Rile B Thomas? prosecutor

came the defendant and Francis Hale
and Hardy Patterson into open court and acknowledged
themselfs to owe and stand indebted to the state of Tennessee in the
sum of One thousand five hundred dollars that is to say the
the defendants in the sum of one thousand dollars and the
said Francis Hale and Hardy Patterson in the sum of Five
hundred dollars jointly and severally to be levied of them respective
good and Chattels lands and tenements to the use of the state but
to be void on condition that the said Defendant makes his person
al appearance before the judge of our next circuit court to be held
for the county of Warren in the court house in the town of McMinnville

Page 477
On the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June Next
to answer the state of TN on a charge of assault to commit
Robery(sic) and does not depart without leave of the court
Circuit Court Clerks Office Warren Co TN

This appears to be Wm T Hale's brother Francis putting up a security for John Bishop, husband of his niece Lucinda Hale Bishop.  There is another court entry dated June 5th of 1866 that shows that John Bishop did not show, nor did Francis Hale or Hardy Patterson.  

Ten years later Lucinda gives birth to another son that carries the surname Davis though I have never been able to find that marriage or a divorce from John Bishop. 

Oddly enough I found a divorce that was filed by a female Frances Hale(maiden name Clark) against a Wm T Hale.  This was June 1st of 1886 in Warren Co TN.  Name is the same but the people are not.

I've not found much on this family until recent years and I've yet to find an account of Wm Taylor Hale's drowning.  The main sources I have for this family outside of the 1850 census and marriage is a letter written by Phoebe Hale McCormick(younger daughter of the youngest son of Wm Taylor Hale) to my cousin  Margie Hale, a Hale and Acuff researcher.  I'm writing more about that and examining it in another blog post. Lots of work yet to be done on this line.

Source
Warren County TN Minute book June 1860-Feb 1867, p 476 & 477, State of Tennessee vs John Bishop; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39N-N954-R : accessed 30 September 2026), IGN 8478322, Image 242 of 344

In Memoriam: Laura Heath Bumpus (1874 - 1921)

 

Laura Heath Bumpus

Born:  July 13, 1874

Died:  March 16, 1921

United with Mt Pleasant Baptist Church in 1902

Married William Alexander Bumpus

After marriage attended Union Ridge Baptist.

Parents William Heath & Mary A Patterson Heath

Predeceased by Father William Heath

Survivors:

Husband--William Alexander Bumpus

Mother Mary A Patterson Heath

Half Brother--Sanford Monroe Crick

I've been unable to find her burial place.  Her death record says burial in family cemetery.

That may be the Heath Cemetery in Rockvale where her brother Charles Benjamin Heath is buried according to his death record.

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, May 19, 1921, p  13, col 2; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-obituary-for-laura/206852538/ : accessed September 27, 2026), clip page for Obituary for Laura Heath Bumpus.

"Tennessee, Deaths, 1914–1966," digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-69D9-S7K : accessed 29 September 2026), Mrs. Laura Heath Bumpus death certificate, no. 258 (1921), Bedford County, vol. 1; citing Tennessee State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Nashville.

The Rent of One Pepper Corn on Lady Day Next

While searching for my Harger, Jakes and Richards family in Franklin County Virginia, and surrounding areas using FamilySearch's Full Text Search, I came across a term that I didn't fully understand.  I asked Gemini (Browser extension) and also ChatGPT for assistance.  

I asked each of them to explain the meaning of "rent of one Pepper Corn on Lady Day next."

Gemini In Chrome browser answered:

This phrase comes from an English legal tradition common in historical land deeds, known as a peppercorn rent lease.

Here is what the components of that phrase mean:

• "One Pepper Corn" (Peppercorn Rent): A nominal or token payment. Under English common law, a binding contract or lease required "consideration" (something of value given in exchange). Rather than requiring actual money, a land owner would charge a single peppercorn to satisfy the legal requirement of a payment without imposing a real financial burden on the lessee. It essentially made the lease legally binding for free or for a purely symbolic fee.

• "Lady Day": March 25th, traditional Feast of the Annunciation. In early modern England and colonial America, Lady Day was one of the four traditional "quarter days" of the calendar year when land rents, leases, and financial obligations were due.

• "Next": The upcoming Lady Day (March 25th) following the date the lease was drawn up.

Context in the Deed

In the context of the 18th-century deed on your page (a typical Lease and Release transaction), the grantors (John and Agness Harger) leased the property to the grantee for a nominal term (often 1 year) for "one peppercorn" so the grantee could legally take actual possession of the land. Once in legal possession, a full release/grant of ownership (the second part of the transaction) could take place.

ChatGPT answered:

In an old deed or lease, “the rent of one Pepper Corn on Lady Day next” is essentially a nominal rent clause. It does not mean that someone literally expected a meaningful payment of pepper.

Breaking it down

“one pepper corn”
A peppercorn was commonly used as a token or nominal rent—something of virtually no monetary value. Its purpose was to make the arrangement technically a lease or conveyance for rent, while indicating that no substantial rent was actually expected.

“Lady Day”
Lady Day is 25 March, the Feast of the Annunciation. It was one of the traditional quarter days in Britain and was commonly used as a date for rents, leases, and other payments.

“next”
“Next” means the next occurrence of 25 March after the date of the document.

So, for example, if a deed dated 10 October 1815 said:

“yielding and paying therefore the rent of one Pepper Corn on Lady Day next”

it would mean:

The tenant/recipient is to pay a purely nominal rent of one peppercorn on 25 March 1816.

Why would a deed say this?

This language is particularly interesting in genealogy because it can tell you something about the legal nature of the transaction.

A lease might establish possession of the property for a nominal rent, while a second document—often a release—would complete the transfer of the property. In English and colonial/early American conveyancing, the traditional “lease and release” method frequently used this kind of nominal rent.

So if you've encountered this wording in an old land deed, I would want to see the surrounding paragraph before interpreting the transaction. The exact wording—especially terms such as “lease,” “release,” “indenture,” “consideration,” “yearly rent,” “quit rent,” or “peppercorn”—can help determine whether you're looking at an actual rental arrangement or a conveyance using nominal consideration.

There were two records which mentioned the Peppercorn rent term
One with the Hargers (of Amelia Co VA) and Andrew Brown ( of Augusta Co VA)
One with the Hargers and Christian Godfrey Miliron ( of Augusta Co VA).

I gave ChatGPT a snippet of the image which contained the phrase from the Andrew Brown entry and it added the additional info

ChatGPT's response after I gave it a screenshot of the paragraph containing the term.

This is not simply a landlord charging someone a token annual rent. It appears to be the lease portion of a traditional “lease and release” conveyance, where the one-peppercorn rent was essentially a legal formality used to put the grantee into legal possession before the release transferred the full title.

What your document is saying
The relevant portion reads approximately:

“…yielding and paying therefore the Rent of one Pepper Corn on Lady Day next if the same shall be lawfully demanded…”

Then it continues with language referring to:

“…the Statute for Transferring Uses into Possession…”

and says that Andrew Brown [the surname is somewhat difficult to read] may thereby be considered to be in actual possession of the premises and able to receive the grant and release of the land.

That is the giveaway.
So what does the peppercorn mean here?
It is nominal rent, not a meaningful rental payment.

The parties were creating a lease for a very short/nominal term, commonly one year, as part of the legal machinery for transferring the land.

The basic sequence was:
1. Lease
John Hargar and Agness Hargar → Andrew Brown
Andrew receives a leasehold interest and is legally treated as being in possession of the land.

2. Release
The Hargars then execute a release transferring the inheritance/freehold interest in the property to Andrew Brown and his heirs.

The peppercorn is the nominal rent associated with that first step.

Why “Lady Day”?

Lady Day = 25 March.

So the clause says, in effect:

The rent shall be one peppercorn, payable on the next 25th of March, if it is legally demanded.

The words “if the same shall be lawfully demanded” are also significant. Nobody necessarily expected Andrew to actually hand over a peppercorn. The clause established the formal landlord/tenant relationship required by the conveyancing mechanism.

And the language immediately after it is particularly important

Your document says, in substance:

“…by virtue of the Statute for Transferring Uses into Possession…”

This refers to the Statute of Uses (1535), which became part of the legal foundation for this type of conveyance.

The document then says that Andrew Brown would be considered to be:

“in actual possession of the premises”

so that he could accept the subsequent “Grant and Release” of the land.
That is classic lease-and-release language.
What this means genealogically

If you're using this document to establish who owned land, I would not interpret the one-peppercorn clause as evidence that Andrew Brown was merely renting the property from John and Agness Hargar.

Quite the opposite: the document is apparently part of a transaction intended to transfer ownership/freehold interest from the Hargars to Brown.

The really important document to find is therefore the companion “Release.”

It may be recorded immediately before or after this document, sometimes on the following page or under a separate entry. The release should contain the substantive conveyance of the property and may identify:

the consideration paid;
the precise acreage and boundaries;
the names of the grantors and grantee;
the heirs or legal successors;
and potentially the prior source of the Hargars' title.

One thing I would correct from my first answer

My first answer described the possibility of a conventional rental arrangement too broadly. Now that I can see your actual document, the “lease and release” interpretation is much stronger. The combination of the peppercorn, the “actual possession” language, and especially the reference to the Statute for Transferring Uses into Possession makes the legal purpose much clearer.

ChatGPT then offered to 

"transcribe the entire page line by line and explain what each part means, including identifying the witnesses and the court acknowledgment at the bottom. That could be especially useful for determining exactly what land changed hands and whether this establishes Andrew Brown's ownership."

Using Google Search I found some links about the terms

From the Tarlton Law Library  Peppercorn Rent

Also since I really had no idea what Lady Day I searched for that and found a page at Britannica.

I think I prefer to Google the terms and then visit the sites and evaluate them myself rather than rely on Gemini, ChatGPT etc. to summarize or explain them.  A bit of a rabbit hole but a fun learning experience.

In Memoriam: Lula Cooper Blanton (1861 - 1920)

 

Lula Cooper Blanton

Born:  November 19, 1861

Died:  March 6, 1920

Buried in Simpson Cemetery

Married W. T. Blanton November 4, 1886

She was a member of M. E. Church but united with

Union Ridge Baptist after her marriage.

Died of Tuberculosis

Predeceased by Father John B Cooper (d. 1915)

Survivors:

Husband-- William Thomas Blanton (m. November 4, 1886)

Mother-- Rebecca F Landers Cooper

Siblings

Washington Cicero Cooper

Ella Cooper Fuqua

Maggie Cooper Condra

Algie Bell Cooper Craig

American Lillian Cooper Boyd

Johnnie Anna Cooper Pickle

William Emmett Cooper

Children

Willie Elmer Blanton

Mary Ella Blanton

Sam B Blanton

Nora B Blanton Taylor

Georgia L Blanton Simpson

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, April 29, 1920, p  23, col 2 & 3; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-lula-cooper-blanto/206819632/ : accessed September 27, 2026), clip page for Lula Cooper Blanton- Obituary.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66488903/lula-blanton: accessed 27 Sep 2026), memorial page for Lula Cooper Blanton (19 Nov 1861–6 Mar 1920), Memorial ID 66488903, citing Simpson Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

In Memoriam: Eris Kimmons Simpson (1900 - 1923)

 

Eris Kimmons Simpson

Born:  October 17, 1900

Died:  May 3, 1923

Contracted Typhoid while working in Akron Ohio.

Survivors:

Parents:  Benjamin Isaiah Simpson and Edna Angeline Kimmons Simpson

Siblings:

Naomi E. Simpson Davis

Alta Dugan Simpson Clay 

Robert Webb Simpson

Thomas Edgar Simpson

Benjamin Frederic Simpson

Roy Jennings Simpson

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, August 16, 1923, p  13, col 2; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-eris-simpson-obit/206720933/ : accessed September 25, 2026), clip page for Eris Simpson--obit.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/131422937/eris_kimmins-simpson: accessed 25 Sep 2026), memorial page for Eris Kimmins Simpson (17 Oct 1900–3 May 1923), Memorial ID 131422937, citing Simpson Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA,

In Memoriam: Tennie Elmore Allison (1857 - 1949)

 

Born:  January 27, 1857

Died:  May 26, 1949

Member of Rover Baptist.

Predeceased by Parents James Hugh Elmore & Nancy Tillman Gault Elmore

Husband, David Crockett Allison.

Survivors

Daughters:

Mrs. C. Bradley of Nashville (Willie Allison)

Mrs. Ernest Gobel of Nashville (Jessie K Allison)

Mrs. R. R. Heath of Inglewood, California (Ola Allison)

Mrs. F. M. Rehmund of St Louis MO (Martha Allison)

Son:  

Charles Savage Allison of Jacksonville, Florida

Sister:  Miss Elizabeth Elmore of Nashville

Brother:  Granville Sandusky Elmore of Rover, Tennessee

11 Grandchildren

16  Great Grandchildren

Sources:

Nashville Banner, May 27, 1949, p  10, col 3; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/nashville-banner-obituary-for-tennie-elm/206717689/ : accessed September 25, 2026), clip page for Obituary for Tennie Elmore Allison.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/167655844/tennie-allison: accessed 25 Sep 2026), memorial page for Tennie Elmore Allison (27 Jan 1857–26 May 1949), Find a Grave Memorial ID 167655844, citing Spring Hill Cemetery, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, USA.

In Memoriam: Mollie Hall Ramsey (1875 - 1923)

 

Mollie Hall Holden Ramsey

Born:  August 30, 1875

Died:  April 27, 1923

Saved at age 12 and joined Union Ridge Baptist at age 15

Transferred membership to Eagleville Baptist but returned with husband in 1911.

She went by her step father's surname of Holden sometimes prior to her marriage.

There is some discrepancy in her birth date.

Parents:  William Hall &  Eliza Ann Roxie Elrod

Predeceased by

Sue M Ramsey(daughter) likely predeceased her parents as she is in the 1910 census as an infant but does not appear in 1920 when she would be abt 10 yrs old.

 

Survivors:

Husband :  Thomas Jefferson Ramsey Jr.

Children:

Mattie Gertrude Ramsey

George Washington Ramsey

John Buford Ramsey

Sedan Duggan Ramsey

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, August 16, 1923, p  13, col. 2; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-mollie-hall-holden/206703336/ : accessed September 25, 2026), clip page for Mollie Hall Holden Ramsey-Obit.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/212166473/mary_e-ramsey: accessed 25 Sep 2026), memorial page for Mary E “Mollie” Hall Holden Ramsey (15 Jan 1874–27 Apr 1923), Memorial ID 212166473, citing Johns Cemetery, Greenwood, Rutherford County, Tennessee, USA.

In Memoriam: Edna Rushing Wilhoite Davis (1871 - 1911)

 

Edna Rushing Wilhoite Davis

Born:  July 31, 1871

Died:  May 17, 1911

Buried at Willow Mount Cemetery in Bedford Co. TN

Parents:  Richard B. & Tennie Wilhoite

Husband:  John E Davis(married May 15, 1897)

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, October 12, 1911, p  15, col 2 & 3; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-edna-rushing-davis/206593737/ : accessed September 23, 2026), clip page for Edna Rushing Davis--Obit.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/92014542/edna_r-davis: accessed 23 Sep 2026), memorial page for Edna R. Wilhoite Davis (31 Jul 1871–17 May 1911), Memorial ID 92014542, citing Willow Mount Cemetery, Shelbyville, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

In Memoriam: Lillian Cooper Boyd (1875 - 1927)

 

Lillain Cooper Boyd

Born:  August 31, 1875

Died:  December 4, 1927

Predeceased by 

Parents:   John B Cooper and Rebecca F Landers Cooper

Daughter:  Lula Cooper Blanton

Sisters:  

Lula Cooper Blanton

Ella Cooper Fuqua

Survivors:

Husband, John Boyd

One son, John Henderson Boyd

2 Brothers:  

Washington Cicero Cooper 

William Emmett Cooper

4 sisters:  

Mrs. J. F. Condra (Maggie Matilda May Cooper)

Mrs G W. Pickle

Mrs. L P Craig(Algie Bell Cooper)

Mrs  D Frank Pickle  (Anna “Johnnie” Cooper)

Sources:

The Daily News-Journal, December 6, 1927, p  1, col 3; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-news-journal-obituary-for-lill/206573705/ : accessed September 23, 2026), clip page for Obituary for Lillian Cooper Boyd.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/117631648/america_lillian-boyd: accessed 23 Sep 2026), memorial page for America Lillian Cooper Boyd (31 Aug 1875–4 Dec 1927), Memorial ID 117631648, citing Simpson Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

In Memoriam: Mary Bumpus White (1890 - 1927)

 

Mary Bumpus White(Mrs. A.F. White)

Born:  August 10, 1890

Died:  January 10, 1927

Survivors

Husband, A. Fonzie White

Sons:

Alfred F. White

William Claude White

Lonnie Clyde White

Earl Bumpus White

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, January 27, 1927, p  13. col 3; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-obituary-for-a-f/206589962/ : accessed September 23, 2026), clip page for Obituary for A. F. White by user rmbeckman

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/117809316/mary_b-white: accessed 23 Sep 2026), memorial page for Mary B Bumpus White (10 Aug 1890–10 Jan 1927),Memorial ID 117809316, citing Simpson Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

Community Reconstruction: The Union Ridge Baptist Project

Researching individuals, especially women, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries presents a perfect storm of missing data in Bedford and Rutherford counties, Tennessee, where my ancestors lived.  The lost 1890 US Federal Census causes a 20-year gap.  Any female born after the 1880 census who married before 1900 can virtually disappear from official government records under her maiden name. Official state death registration didn't reliably begin in Tennessee until late 1908, with another complete gap in Tennessee death records for the year 1913 when the vital records law lapsed.

Faced with these hurdles in tracking my own family lines, I turned to a dedicated historical anchor in the Rover community: Union Ridge Baptist Church (known today as Rover Baptist Church). Rooted in Rover, Union Ridge Baptist Church has stood as a spiritual and social center for the community for generations. Right next door lies Simpson Cemetery, where a significant portion of the congregation rests, including my own 2nd great-grandparents.  Because church and family ties were deeply intertwined, local obituaries often served as the primary record when public record-keeping fell short. To reconstruct these lives, I began gathering obituaries from local papers in Bedford and Rutherford counties, but the real breakthrough came from a denominational publication: the Baptist and Reflector.

While secular newspapers often published brief notices, denominational papers like the Baptist and Reflector took care to publish rich, detailed biographical obituaries written by pastors, family members, or fellow church members who knew the deceased personally. Through these obituaries, my Union Ridge Baptist Project has grown to cover over 60 members who died between the 1890s and 1960s. These records do far more than just confirm a date of death;  they act as a bridge across our worst record gaps.  Detailed obituaries routinely name surviving siblings, parents, and places of origin, restoring maiden names to women who otherwise vanished between 1880 and 1900.  For those who passed away prior to 1908 or during missing years like 1913, these notices often provide exact death dates, ages, and circumstances that exist nowhere else.

Mapping Kinship Networks: Surnames like Elmore, Thomason, Lamb, Simpson, Jackson, Smotherman, and Jarrell repeat across generations in the church rolls, showing how interconnected the Rover community truly was. What started as a search for my own ancestors has grown into a community reconstruction project. By piecing together church membership, published obituaries, cemetery burials at Simpson Cemetery, and other local family cemeteries, the project is giving a voice back to a generation that a lack of official historical records nearly erased. 

The TN Baptist and Baptist Reflector Digital Project is an undertaking of the Southern Baptist Historical Library & Archives. You can browse the archives at this link.

To access the Union Ridge Baptist Project profiles and other posts about historical church members on this blog, use the search feature in the upper left corner and search on the term "Union Ridge Baptist".  I am continuing to add profiles as I discover them.  Please check back from time to time.

In Memoriam: Dorah Sanders (1883 - 1905)

 

Dorah Sanders

Born:  January 2, 1883

Died:  August 12, 1905

Joined Union Ridge Baptist in 1901.

Survivors

Parents:  James Henry Sanders and Malissa J Brown Sanders

Siblings:

Johnie Sanders

Lillie Sanders

James O Sanders

Bettie Sanders

Ollie J. Sanders

Nannie C Sanders

Eddie Sanders

William B Sanders

Thomas Benjamin Sanders

Allie B. Sanders

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, November 2, 1905, p  16, col 2; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-dora-sanders-obit/206306662/ : accessed September 19, 2026), clip page for Dora Sanders--Obituary.

1900 U.S. census, Bedford County, Tennessee, population schedule, Civil District 10, Enumeration District 12, sheet 8A, dwelling 130, family 141, Henry Sanders household; digital image, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 September 2026), image 15 of 26; citing NARA microfilm publication T623, roll 1558.

In Memoriam: Matilda Brooks Owen (1815 - 1901)

 

Matilda Brooks Owen

Born:  December 5, 1815

Died   September  17, 1901

Married: January 2, 1841 to Peter Owen

About 1872 united with Rover Church 

moved membership to Eagleville about 1887

Predeceased by 

Husband--Peter D Owen

Daughter-- Martha Ann Owen

Survivors

Mary Jane Owen Elmore

John Marshall Owen

Drucilla Price Owen Edmonds

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, May 22, 1902, p  15, col 2; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-obituary-for-mati/206505950/ : accessed September 22, 2026), clip page for Obituary for -Matilda Brooks OWEN.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/76264534/matilda-owen: accessed 22 Sep 2026), memorial page for Matilda Brooks Owen (5 Dec 1815–17 Sep 1901), Memorial ID 76264534, citing Owen Cemetery, Rutherford County, Tennessee, USA.

In Memoriam: Margaret Caroline Weaver Thomason (1840 - 1904)

 

Margaret Caroline Weaver Thomason

Born:  October 16, 1840

Died:   November 28, 1904

Buried at Thomason Cemetery

Saved in 1854 and united with Union Ridge Baptist

Married January 12, 1859 to J.S. Thomason

Predeceased by 4 children

Avarilla Thomason Faris(d. before 1896)

the other three are likely 

Benjamin T Thomason

William B Thomason

Nancy E Thomason Garrett

Survivors

Husband--James S Thomason

4 children

I believe that her surviving children were the 4 below based on finding death records and census records for them after her death.

James Montgomery Thomason(d. 1940)

Mary Thomason Yarbrough(d. 1947)

George W Thomason(d. 1912)

Maggie Thomason Sanders(d. 1911)

20 Grandchildren

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, March 16, 1905, p  14; col 2; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-margaret-caroline/206307383/ : accessed September 19, 2026), clip page for Margaret Caroline Weaver Thomason.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29092598/margaret_carolina-thomason: accessed 19 Sep 2026), memorial page for Mrs Margaret Carolina Weaver Thomason (16 Oct 1840–28 Nov 1904), Memorial ID 29092598, citing Thomason Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

In Memoriam: Margaret Ann Phillips Marshall (1883 - 1904)

 

Margaret Ann Phillips Marshall

Born:  March 21, 1883

Died:  March 31, 1904

Married John Marshall

Parents:  William and Amanda Philips

Mother of 3 children

1 Son predeceased her

Adkin Marshall (2 Apr 1899--23 Apr 1900 (aged 1)

Survivors

Husband John T Marshall

two children (one of which was John William Marshall who was b. 1901)

She was the granddaughter of Ivie Phillips who was a neighbor to my 2nd great grandparents Wm Clifford Cook & Elizabeth Putman Cook. Her death year was incorrect on her FindAGrave page.  The death notice in the Baptist and Reflector gives her year of death as 1904. This cleared up an issue with the birth of one of her children being months after her death.  It also lists the names of her parents. I did not have her name on the listing of Wm & Amanda Phillips children because she was born after the 1880 census and never listed in her parents household (she is married before the 1900 census.) I submitted the corrections to her FindAGrave memorial page.

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, June 2, 1904, p  15., col 2; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-margaret-ann-phill/206446010/ : accessed September 21, 2026), clip page for Margaret Ann Phillips Marshall--Obit.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42016467/margaret-marshall: accessed 21 Sep 2026), memorial page for Margaret “Maggie” Phillips Marshall (21 Mar 1883–31 Mar 1904), Memorial ID 42016467, citing Russell Cemetery, Eagleville, Rutherford County, Tennessee, USA.

In Memoriam: Lavenia Brown Bumpus (1843 - 1895)

 

Lavenia Brown Bumpus

Born:  March 11, 1843

Died:  December 20, 1895

Buried at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church Cemetery

Predeceased by husband Henry Martin Bumpus(m. 1879 in Rutherford Co TN.

Survived by 

2 daughters and several step children

Her FindAGrave entry and many Ancestry trees have her parents listed incorrectly.  She is not a daughter of the John Brown(b. in VA) of Browns Mill, Rutherford Co TN.  She is the daughter of William Brown(b. NC) and wife Catherine who lived in the Rover, Dist 10 Bedford Co TN area and who are buried at Mt Pleasant Baptist Church along with Lavenia.  While I can't do anything about the tree errors I have submitted corrections to FindAGrave.  See the table below for the explanation.

Sources:  

Baptist and Reflector, March 19, 1896, p  14, col 3; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-lavenia-bumpus/206308452/ : accessed September 19, 2026), clip page for Lavenia Bumpus -- Obituary.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/24935359/lavenia-bumpus: accessed 20 Sep 2026), memorial page for Lavenia Brown Bumpus (11 Mar 1843–20 Dec 1895),  Memorial ID 24935359, citing Mount Pleasant Baptist Church Cemetery, Eagleville, Rutherford County, Tennessee, USA.

In Memoriam: Adam Turner Thomason (1832-1902)

 

Adam Turner Thomason

Born:  February 22, 1832

Died:  February 22, 1902

Married Winnie Jane Weaver 

Confederate Widows Pension Winnie J Thomason 

(Log in to FamilySearch to view. Registration is free)

His death notice printed in the Baptist and Reflector contains an error in his name showing it as A. F. Thomason instead of A. T. Thomason. 

Predeceased by son Richard S. Thomason (d. 1897)

Survivors
Wife--Winnie J Weaver Thomason

Daughter:
Lucy Elnora Thomason Smith
Emma Adora Thomason Osteen
Maggie May Thomason Floyd Henley
Agnes Avarilla Thomason Philpott
Anna Catherine Thomason Cox
Eula Olivia Thomason Cox

Son:
Montgomery Weaver Thomason

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, April 24, 1902, p 15, col 2 & 3; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-a-f-thomason-ob/206206053/ : accessed September 18, 2026), clip page for A. F. Thomason--obit.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29092607/adam_turner-thomason: accessed 18 Sep 2026), memorial page for Adam Turner Thomason (22 Feb 1832–22 Feb 1902),Memorial ID 29092607, citing Thomason Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

In Memoriam: Martha Drumwright Sims (1837 - 1913)

 

Martha Drumwright Sims

Born:  October 28, 1837

Died:  November 7, 1913

Married to William Sims in 1854

Joined Union Ridge Baptist in 1854

Predeceased by Husband and one son Richard Sims (d, 1909)

Buried at Simpson Cemetery

Survivors 

Son--Andrew J Sims

Two Daughters--one of them is Susie Sims Lamb.  I've not yet found the name of the other daughter.

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, May 28, 1914, p  13, col 3; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-martha-drumwright/206078216/ : accessed September 16, 2026), clip page for Martha Drumwright Sims.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/209345090/martha_f-sims: accessed 16 Sep 2026), memorial page for Martha F Drumwright Sims (28 Oct 1837–6 Nov 1913), Memorial ID 209345090, citing Simpson Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee.

In Memoriam: Harvey Clayton Yarbrough (1863 - 1928)

 

Harvey Clayton "Tom" Yarbrough

Born:  February 2, 1863

Died:  July 16, 1928

Funeral was July 18, 1928

Married to Mary Thomason Yarbrough

Buried at Simpson Cemetery as are all of Tom and Mary's children with the exception of Edna who is buried next to her husband, Robert G Hamilton at Spring Hill Cemetery in Nashville.

Survivors:

Wife--Mary Thomason Yarbrough

Daughters:  

Callie Yarbrough

Edna Yarbrough

Elizabeth Yarbrough

Sons:

William P. Yarbrough of Nashville, Tenn.

Cecil Yarbrough of Nashville, Tenn.

Benjamin T. Yarbrough of Chapel Hill, Tenn.

Services conducted by Rev. C. M. Pickler & Rev P. E. Ackley.

Pallbearers:  W. A. Thomason, J.W. Tatum, T. B. Farris, W. G. Garrett, J. L. Ghee and C. C. Patterson

Sources: 

The Tennessean, July 17, 1928, p 5, col 2; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tennessean-obituary-for-harvey-clayt/206128063/ : accessed September 16, 2026), clip page for Obituary for Harvey Clayton (Tom) YARBROUTH-Monday.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/60352622/harvey_clayton-yarbrough: accessed 16 Sep 2026), memorial page for Harvey Clayton “Tom” Yarbrough (2 Feb 1863–16 Jul 1928), Memorial ID 60352622, citing Simpson Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

In Memoriam: Minerva May Cook Lamb (1870-1913)

 

Minerva May Cook Lamb

Born: December 12, 1870
Died:  February 18, 1913

Cause of Death:  Tuberculosis

Buried at Simpson Cemetery

Married Thomas Lamb on October 3, 1894 in Bedford Co. Tennessee.

No Children

Christian for 17 yrs(saved in 1896) and member of Union Ridge Baptist since 1907

Predeceased by 

Parents--James Polk Cook and Susan Carson Ferguson Cook

Paternal Grandparents--William Clifford Cook & Elizabeth Putman Cook

Maternal Grandparents--Jesse H Carson & Nancy Gillespie Carson

Survivors

Sisters:

Tennessee "Tennie" Ferguson Hill(Maternal half sister)

Harriet Sophie Cook Boyce(Wife of Humphrey Hastings Boyce)

Brother--William Clifford "Billy Kid" Cook

This is a cropped photo of May from an original picture of

May and Tom Lamb that was posted on Ancestry by BobbieLonas94 

that I had Gemini adjust for clarity.

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, August 21, 1913, p  14, col 2; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-obituary-for-miner/206177405/ : accessed September 17, 2026), clip page for Obituary for Minerva May  Cook Lamb.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/113719628/minerva_may-lamb: accessed 17 Sep 2026), memorial page for Minerva May Cook Lamb (12 Dec 1870–18 Feb 1913), Memorial ID 113719628, citing Simpson Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

In Memoriam: James William Hampton (1859 - 1915)

 

James William Hampton

Born:  May 28, 1859

Died:  November 12, 1915

Survivors:

Wife--Martha Jane Neece

Daughters:

Annie May Hampton Lentz

Mary Frances Hampton Nellums

Bessie Hampton Russell

Minnie Hampton Woodson

Ollie Hampton Overcast

Lonza Hampton Rowland

Lille May Hampton Harmon

Sources:  

Baptist and Reflector, March 16, 1916, p  15, col 4; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-j-w-hampton/206024194/ : accessed September 15, 2026), clip page for J. W. Hampton.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/151568224/james_william-hampton: accessed 15 Sep 2026), memorial page for James William Hampton (28 May 1859–13 Nov 1915), Memorial ID 151568224, citing Fisher Cemetery, Marshall County, Tennessee, USA.

In Memoriam: Rufus Fain Sanders (1898- 1918)

 

Rufus Fain Sanders

Born:  October 30, 1898

Died:  October 16, 1918

Buried in Unionville Cemetery

Joined Union Ridge Baptist in 1915

Eldest Son of members William Payton "Pate" Sanders & Annie Coleman Ezell Sanders.

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, October 30, 1919, p  23, col 2; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-obituary-for-fain/206035950/ : accessed September 15, 2026), clip page for Obituary for Fain Sanders.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66407184/faine-sanders: accessed 15 Sep 2026), memorial page for Faine Sanders (1898–1918), Memorial ID 66407184, citing Unionville Cemetery, Unionville, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

In Memoriam: James S Thomason (1836 - 1917)

 

James S Thomason

Born:  October 22, 1836

Died:  August 21, 1917

Married Margaret C Weaver January 12, 1859

14 Children(8 who lived to adulthood) and 2 that survive him--James Montgomery Thomason and Mary Thomason Yarbrough

Many grandchildren and some great grandchildren.

[His FindAGrave Memorial had the wrong year of death but I submitted an edit]

Sources:  

Baptist and Reflector, November 1, 1918, p  15, col 2; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-j-s-thomason-obi/206055167/ : accessed September 15, 2026), clip page for J. S. Thomason-obit.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29092589/james_s-thomason: accessed 15 Sep 2026), memorial page for James S. Thomason (22 Oct 1836–21 Aug 1913), Memorial ID 29092589, citing Thomason Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

In Memoriam: John Welcome Elmore (1850 - 1927)

 

John Welcome Elmore

Born:  June 11, 1850

Died:  May 6, 1927

Buried in Elmore Cemetery

Survivors

Wife--Sallie Little Elmore

Children:

Monnie Victoria Elmore Duncan

John Henry "Booger" Elmore

Charlie Lee Elmore

Carrie Eugene Elmore Sanders

Ora Corinne Elmore Holton

Fannie Elmore Lester

Maggie Lou Elmore

Edgar Elmore

Ila Velma Elmore Eley

Arthur Hobson Elmore

Thomas Mitchell Elmore

Source:

Baptist and Reflector, August 25, 1927, p  16, col 2; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-obituary-for-john/206022253/ : accessed September 15, 2026), clip page for Obituary for John W. ELMORE.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/103699663/john_welcome-elmore: accessed 15 Sep 2026), memorial page for John Welcome Elmore (11 Jun 1850–8 May 1927), Memorial ID 103699663, citing Elmore Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

In Memoriam: Mattie J Elmore Osburn (1852 - 1903)

 

Mattie J Elmore Osburn

Born:  September 13, 1852

Died:  May 3, 1903

She had been a member of Union Ridge Baptist Church joining in early girlhood, later  uniting with the North Fork Church.

Survivors:

Husband-- Lucien Junius Osburn

Daughters:

Minnie Osburn Jennings(married Thomas G Jennings in 1896)

Ester D Osburn(married Thomas L. Thompson in 1903)

Elma Osburn Sanders(married Robert Sanders in 1900)

Maggie Knox Osburn Jeffress(married James Douglas Jeffress in 1910)

Son:

Samuel J Osburn

Sources:  

Baptist and Reflector, June 11, 1903, p 15, col 2; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-mattie-j-elmore-os/205999013/ : accessed September 14, 2026), clip page for Mattie J Elmore Osburn- Obit.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/91912382/mattie-osburn: accessed 14 Sep 2026), memorial page for Mattie Elmore Osburn (13 Sep 1852–3 May 1903), Memorial ID 91912382, citing Willow Mount Cemetery, Shelbyville, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.