Granny's Charlotte Street Neighbor: Mrs. Nell Burgie Miller

During the early 1970s, my grandmother lived on North Charlotte Street in Dickson at 203 which she rented from the Sheltons.  It was a duplex but she'd rented both sections.  One of her neighbors was a lady named Mrs. Miller who taught music in her home.  I knew the address and the surname but did not remember her given name or her husband's name.  Her husband had passed before Granny moved to the house across the street. I went looking in the Dickson Co TN records at FamilySearch and was able to find her in the Tax books that goes up to the year 1965(1962-1965 image 789 of 906.₁  

After finding her in the tax list listed as Mrs. H. C Miller I was able to locate her and her husband in the 1950 Census.₂  In the census she was one of the people who were asked additional questions.  She'd been married for about 26 years but gave the number of years married as 20 in the supplemental section.  She did not have any children that I remembered and that was confirmed from her answer to that question as well.  

Transcription of Wedding Announcement from Dickson Society Page of Nashville Banner.₃
Miss Nell Burgie of Dickson and Mr. Harold Miller of Nashville were united in marriage Tuesday evening(Aug 26th) at the First Baptist church parsonage in Nashville, the Rev. Dr. Dargon officiating.  The bride is the daughter of J. B. Burgie of Dickson, and the groom is the son of the late William Miller and is an employee of the N.C. & St. L. railway.  They went to Chattanooga for a brief bridal tour and will return to Dickson to reside.

Abstract of Death Notice ₄
Death Notices: Dickson, TN
Mrs. Nell Burgie Miller age 95.  

Saturday, November 3 1989. Greenvalley Health Care Center.

Retired piano and organ teacher of Dickson.  

Widow of the late Harold C Miller.    

Survivors include her two nephews, Leslie W Stitt of Deerfield Beach FLA and Larry B Stitt of Amarillo, TX; several great nieces and nephews.  

Funeral Services: Tuesday, November 7, 1989 at 3:30 pm from the Chapel of the Taylor Funeral Home  with Warren Medley officiating.  

Active Pallbearers:  Jack Willey, Donald Weiss, Sr. Dr David Robinson, Rex Buttrey, Dr. Bill Jackson and Tom Woodall.  

Honorary Pallbearers:  Bro D Ellis Walker, Tom Davidson, George Nail, Bro Harley Buttrey, and all Former Music Students.  

Interment in the Dickson Union Cemetery. Those desiring memorials may be made to the Dickson County Library, Services under the direction of Taylor Funeral Home Dickson, TN 446-2808

Nell & her husband Harold are buried in their lot at Union Cemetery which is located off of Charlotte Street. ₅ My father is also buried  at Union Cemetery.

Sources:

1. Tennessee, Dickson County, 1831-1965; Browsable images. "County Tax Records, 1962-1965,"  image 789 of 906, FamilySearch. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39N-C419?i=788&cat=93578 : accessed 22 March 2023) FHL 497701, 1967.
2. 1950 US Federal Census, Dickson Co. TN, Enumeration District 22-7, Household #218, sheet 18, Lines 26-27(H C & Nell Miller) 202 N Charlotte Street; U.S. National Archives,  1950 Census  (https://1950census.archives.gov/search/).
3. "Society in Neighboring Towns--Dickson," Nashville Banner, Sun 31 Aug 1924, p 6, col 6; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121395792/marriage-of-burgle-miller/ : accessed 22 Mar 2023).
4. Death Notices, The Tennessean, 5 Nov 1989, pg 33 col 4; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 22 Mar 2023).
5. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/209149407/nell-burgie-miller: accessed 22 March 2023), memorial page for Nell Burgie Miller (25 Oct 1894–4 Nov 1989), Find a Grave Memorial ID 209149407, citing Union Cemetery, Dickson, Dickson County, Tennessee, USA; Maintained by bbarnhill (contributor 47395133).

Gilford Cook--Dickson County Tennessee

In a previous blog post, I'd written a bit about Garrison King who lived in Dickson Co., TN and some of whose descendants are among my DNA matches.  In that post, I also mentioned Gilford Cook who is likely the brother-in-law of Garrison King(Garrison's wife was a Cook).

I found two entries in Tennessee Convicts:  Early Records of the State Penitentiary Volume 1. These gave me a lot of additional information on him which I used in the summary below.

Gilford Cook was born and raised in Franklin County, North Carolina and it was there where he married Sarah Bass, December 2nd of 1821.  Gilford was a shoemaker and lived in Wilson Co TN(near Richard Drake) before moving to Dickson Co. TN in 1833. He was charged with and convicted of larceny in a Dickson Co Court and thus sentenced to 3 years in the penitentiary where he was received on the 19th of February 1837. His family lived near Kendrick Myatt's on old Natchez trace 15 miles from Charlotte.  Gilford was discharged January 8, 1840, where his conduct while there was recorded as good.  His description according to this record was:  age 48, 6 foot 2 inches with dark hair and grey eyes.

Below is the 1840 census entry for Gilford Cook's family which would have been almost 4 months after his release.

Sources:

Charles A. & Tomye M. Sherrill, Tennessee Convicts:  Early Records of the State Penitentiary 1831-1850 Vol. 1, (Mt. Juliet, Tenn:  C. A. Sherrill 1997), pgs. 22 & 197.

"North Carolina, Civil Marriages, 1763-1868", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q296-MHWZ : 11 May 2018), Gilford Cook and Sarah Bass, 1821.

"United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYTB-92VB?cc=1786457&wc=31SJ-16P%3A1588669927%2C1588670578%2C1588665902 : 24 August 2015), Tennessee > Dickson > Not Stated > image 11 of 72; citing NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

Hide and Seek in the US Federal Census

I was looking for a census entry for the Waynick family and found this entry which is an excellent example of why we should always check the census images AND surrounding households.

The census entry as it is indexed makes it appear that 5 year old Dillard is living in the household of John Jordan. If you look at the image below, you will see what has happened. The census taker M.F. Shelton has realized that he omitted Dillard.  He has added Dillard at the bottom of the page in the middle of another household entry.  The 9 year old twins are on the next page.  Yes the census taker does note that Nancy and Missouri Lee are twins.  I wondered if they were actually supposed to be in the Jordan household.  Who knows.....No notation is shown beside their names other than noting that they are twins.

The household # 47 where Dillard belongs is shown below

This entry is from 1860 Federal Census Middle District of Dickson County Tennessee.

I would also like to add that it is good to check the very last page of each District in which you have an ancestor.  This is especially true if someone isn't in the census and you think they should be there.  Several times I've found that the enumerators listed folks that hey had omitted from the household.  I've also found several mothers who list all of their married adult children as still living at home.  Duplicate entries can also occur with people listed in different districts and when a person is living/working in homes other than that of their parents.  Does this hold true in your census research as well?

March 21, 1891--Birthday of Pearl Gray Jakes Cooke

Today is the birthday of my Paternal Grandmother, Pearl Gray Jakes Cooke.  She was born on this day in 1891 in Bell Buckle, a town in Bedford County, Tennessee to James Jakes and Thelitha Ann Frizzell Jakes.  She married Thomas DeWitt Cooke in Shelbyville, TN in 1912 and they lived in Christiana(Rutherford Co. TN) until they moved to Old Hickory in the mid-1920s when Tom went to work for Dupont.  They lived on Clarke Street in Old Hickory for the first few years and that is the residence they were living at when her only son(at that time), Tomie D.  died with Scarlet & Rheumatic Fever in 1927.  That loss stuck with her as it would any mother and I think it played a huge part in her being overprotective of her children.  At the time that Tomie died, my grandmother was pregnant and 2 months later she delivered another son, my Uncle Morris.  The picture shows Tomie D., Olive June, and Pearl not long before Tomie came down with the illness which swept through the community.

At the time Old Hickory, TN was pretty much a company town with the vast majority of the residents employed at the Dupont Plant.  After Tomie's death, they purchased plots at Mt. Olivet Cemetery where he is buried along with my Grandparents and several of their children.  They must have moved to 911 Dodson Street not too long after Tomie's death because they are on Dodson Street by the time the 1930 Census rolls around.  It was the year that my Dad was born but he would not arrive until October so he was not enumerated on that census.  Daddy also came down with Rheumatic Fever and was bedridden for a great length of time.  I'm sure this must have been tough on not only my Dad who was in Elementary School, but also on Pearl who I can only imagine was fearing that he too would die.  He didn't though...not until many years later.  Daddy joined the service during the Korean War and Pearl insisted that they were not going to move from the house on Dodson St as long as he was away.  When Dad returned home he worked at Dupont for several years.  Pearl was in her late 70s when I was born.  Dad was their youngest son and my parents didn't start a family until my Dad was 38. By the time I was old enough to have memories of Pearl she was in her 80s.  She was stern...but she had seen a lot in her lifetime.  The loss of a son...disease outbreak,  wars...the transition from buggies and horses to automobiles.  She and Tom had 3 sons and 4 daughters.  

My Grandfather retired from Dupont and in 1970 they along with my parents moved to Dickson TN.  My Grandpa was dying from Lung Cancer. and Emphysema  He passed in 1971 another loss for Pearl and our family.  During the biggest part of my childhood, my Grandmother lived in the same neighborhood that my parents and I did--Spanish Oaks in the Pomona Community of Dickson Co. TN.  The things I remember most about my Grandmother.  Before moving to Pomona she used to make Kraut in a crock on the large shaded porch of the house where she lived on North Charlotte Street....as a child I was fascinated by the bright green flies.  Kids are weird and I was no different.  She loved flowers.  She planted them everywhere.  She made good homemade wine...and if you coughed while you were visiting her...she would give you some of the wine for your throat.  We coughed a lot.  She also thought that a shot of whiskey could ward off a cold.   After she hit her 90s, her present-day memory failed but she could remember things from her childhood.  I always loved to hear her stories.  She had good and bad days...she could bless your heart in one breath...and tell you where to go in the next..they called it hardening of the arteries but I guess it was dementia.  She would hide money....and she had a small pistol which we were always taking away from her so she wouldn't hurt herself and she was always finding.  The first curse words I ever heard were said by her.  I remember her getting a self-propelled lawnmower.  She was in her 90s...she would put it on "rabbit speed" and hold on for dear life.  I always wondered why she didn't pick the slower speed.  She must have been doing something right though because she lived to be 102 years old.  Happy Birthday, Granny Cooke!!

Will of Peter Goodwin--Written 29 Nov 1834--Proved Jan 1836 Term--Dickson Co. TN, USA

My attempt at Transcription of the will of Peter Goodwin.  Please consult original and images for accuracy as I am human.

Will of Peter Goodwin
Written Nov 29 1834--Dickson County Tennessee, USA
Proved and ordered to be recorded January Term 1836

Cover page:

No. 68
Peter Goodwin's Last Will
pro. at Jany 1836

State of Tennessee Court of  Pleas & Quarter Session January Term 1836
Dickson County

Then was the within last will & testament of Peter Goodwin dec'd produced in open court and proven to be such by the oaths of

James Thedford and George W. Tatom subscribing witnesses there to which was ordered to be recorded
Test Field Farrar Clk
By his Deputy Tho. J. Kelly

State of Tennessee Dickson County
Then was the within last will and testament
of Peter Goodwin dec'd record in book A page 139
Test Field Farrar Clk.

Written Will:

In the Name of God Amen I Peter Goodwin of the County
 of Dickson and State of Tennessee Being in a low state
of health but of perfict(sic) mind and memory do this day
my last will and Testament in a maner(thi and form
Following to wit
1st I gave(sic) to my beloved wife Sally Goodwin all
my estate both real and personal During hir
Natural life or widowhood and after hur death to be devided as follows
I geve to my Five Youngist children Lusy Goodwin
Sabry(**) Goodwin William Goodwin Peter Goodwin John
Goodwin after the death of my wife all of my real and
pershable property consisting of lands horses cattle hogs
household and kitchen Furneture to gather with my
farming tools of evary kind to be sold and equally
devided amongst the five youngist above named
children and lastly I apint Thomas Murrell
and George W. Tatom sole Executors of this my
last will and testament
Peter Goodwin
X  (his mark & seal)


Sind(sic) sealed and Delivered in
presents of us this 29th day
of November in the year of hour(sic) lord
one thousand eight hundrad and thirty four
James Thedford (Signature)
George W Tatom (Signature)


(**) This is corrected? to Sal in all other rewritten documents but I see a difference in the way he wrote this child's name and the way he wrote his wife, Sally's name. Not really sure what it is.  Too it looks like a bad spelling of Sarah/ Sary  See below

There are at least 4 records of this will at Ancestry.com.  This serves as a great example of why it is important to check all copies of a document.  While the Cover page says it is recorded in Book A. the recorded will image is listed as being in Vol B-C 1803-1929 Dickson Co. TN Wills

There is a Marriage Record for a Peter Goodwin and a Sally Camp in Halifax Co Virginia on 27 Jun 1803. Not sure if that is who this couple is or not though some of the trees at Ancestry do have that listed for them.

Will of John R. Cathey--Dickson Co TN -Drawn July 10th 1827--Proved July Term 1828 -- Recorded Jan Term 1830

John R Cathey No. 46

State of Tennessee Dickson County
I John R. Cathey calling to mind the mortality of all flesh and being feeble of body but sound in memory and understanding do ordain this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all others.

1st I give unto my beloved wife Peggy Cathey during her natural life or widowhood all of my lands that I am now in possession of(except fifty acres lying above my son Archy Cathey's which I give to my son Joshua Cathey).  The balance at my wife's decease to be equally divided amongst my four younger sons vez. Daniel, Samuel, Martin and John Cathey.  Also I give to my said wife all my personal property after all my legal debts are paid.  Also I give unto my Daughters Jane and Dolly, one feather bed, one cow and calf each when they come of age or marry.

2nd As I have give to my son George one filly, to Archie one small Horse and to my daugher Maj., wife of William G. Austin a cow and calf and feather bed they are to have no more of the remaining property as I consider they have had their share and neither more when the rest are raised.

3rd I do constitute and appoint Munford Smith and Peggy my wife my sole Executor to this my last will and testament.In Witness hereof I sign and seal the same 10th day of July 1827




Test. John Forsythe    John R. Cathey his mark (seal)

State of Tennessee Dickson County Court July Term 1828
Then was the within paper writing purporting to be the last Will and Testament of John R Cathey dec'd produced in open court and proved to be such by the oath of Jno Forsythe as subscribing witness thereto and teh same was ordered to be certified accordingly and recorded

Test. Field Farrar Clerk of said Court

State of Tennessee Dickson County January 30th 1830
Then was the last Will and Testament of John R. Cathey dec'd Recorded in Book A page 103
Field Farrar Clerk

Dickson County Tennessee Will of Goodwin Kirk--Written May 1835

I was reading through some more Dickson Co. TN probate records and found a will for a Goodwin Kirk.  It appears that when the will was put before the court for probate that the daughters & their husband contested the will.  A man by the name of Hudson J. Shropshire was appointed admin over the estate.  The daughters & son in laws dropped the  suit soon after that and William Kirk again went forth settling the estate.  I won't call the following a transcription, because it is not word for word as I couldn't make out all of it but I have tried to make it easier to read format and spelling wise.  Please check original scans.  Links to original scans are provided below each document .


I, Goodwin Kirk of the County of Dickson and State Tennessee do make and publish this my last will and testament hereby revoking and making void all former wills by me at any time heretofore made

And first I direct that my body be decently interred at the premises on which I now live in said county in a manner suitable to my condition in life and as to such worldly estates as it hath pleased God to entrust me with I dispose of the same as follows

First I direct that all my debts and final expenses be paid as soon after my decease as possible out of any that I may die possessed of or may come in to the hands of my beloved son William Kirk.
Secondly I give and bequeath unto my beloved son William Kirk two negro to wit Edman and Nan to have and to hold to his own proper use and benefit after my death.
Thirdly I give and bequeath unto my son William as aforesaid all my house hold & kitchen furniture.
Forthly I give & bequeath unto William all my stock cattle hogs & sheep.
Fifthly I give and bequeath unto my son Jesse L. Kirk the sum of fifty cents to be paid after my death.
Sixthly I give and bequeath unto my beloved son James Kirk the sum of fifty cents
Seventhly I give and bequeath unto my daughter Sally Walkins the sum of fifty cents
Eightly I give and bequeath unto my daughter Scinthia T. Nesbitt the sum of fifty cents.
Ninthly I give  & bequeath unto my daughter Rebecca Davie the sum of fifty cents all to be paid after my death.

I do hereby make ordain & appoint my beloved son William Kirk my sole executor of this my last will and testament in witness whereof I Goodwin Kirk the said testator have to this my last will written on one sheet of paper set my hand & seal this the 2nd day of May 1835
X   Goodwin Kirk (seal & mark)

Test: Reas. Bowen(signature)
Wm. Richardson(signature)

Source:

Dickson Co., TN Probate Records, Goodwin Kirk packet, will, 2 May 1835; imaged in "Tennessee, Probate Court Books, 1795-1927," Ancestry.com ; accessed 3 April 2015) Dickson > Wills, 1800-1899 > image 709 of 1419 

State of Tennessee Dickson County
June Term of the County Court 1836

This day was produced in open Court a paper writing purporting to be the last will and
testament of Goodwin Kirk deced which will when produced in court for probate was
contested by Alex Wilkins and wife and James H. Davie and wife legatees of said
deceased whereupon it was ordered by the court that the said Wilkins and Davie give
bono with security in the some of five thousand dollars for the prosecution to effect of
the invalidity of said will in the circuit court of Dickson County for heal thereon to be
had then Hudson J. Shropshire was appt administration pen de ti liter and entered into
with security satisfactory to the court and qualified and it was further ordered by the
court that certified copy of these proceedings be made out and filed in the circuit court.
I certify that the foregoing is a true copy of the original order made by the county court
given under my hand at the office the 11th of June 1836

Wm Hightown Clk

"Tennessee, Probate Court Books, 1795-1927" Dickson Wills, 1800-1899 Image 706  of 1415

William Kirk Executor of Goodwin Kirk deceased states that when the said Goodwin
Kirk's will was proved in the County Court A Wilkins and Jas. H. Davie took exception
to said will and threw it into the circuit court but soon after the said Wilkins and Davie
withdrew their suit in said circuit court and he the Executor took possession of the state
agreeable to the provisions of the will--that he paid all the debts that he ever heard of
against the estate and held all the balance of the property That the several legatees to
whom were bequeathed the sum of fifty-cents each never applied for their said legacies
or anymore ___ of them.  That all the property belonging to said estate 
besides the Negros did not exceed in value the sum of one hundred dollars.  That no
debts ever came against the estate except for funeral expenses which were paid--and the
Executor prays the court to receive this as his final settlement.  County Court Clerks
Office Aug 9th 1842 Wm Kirk

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 9th day of Augt 1842  Thos J. Kelly Clk

"Tennessee, Probate Court Files, 1795-1955"  Dickson > County Court estate settlements > 1800-1885 > Jordan, John P. - Northam, Samual > Image 358 of 2989

Inventory of Goodwin Kirk's Estate

Shropshire is the maiden name of my GGGG Grandmother who was from Oglethorpe GA so I had to look into the man who was appointed over the estate. Was Hudson Shropshire connected to my own Shropshire line?  I checked the census records and found  Hudson Shropshire in the 1820 & 1830 Census records for Dickson Co TN.  By 1840 we find him in Johnson Co Arkansas.  A check of the 1850 Census shows him still in Johnson Co Ark and they probably left Dickson Co TN not long after he was no longer the admin for the Kirk estate.  Hudson dies not long after the 1850 Census in Johnson Co Arkansas.  I checked a few files and records and it appears that Hudson J. Shropshire is my cousin.  We both descend from St. John Shropshire & Elizabeth Winkfield through their son Winkfield and through separate sons of Winkfield.  In this case, it looks like we are 3rd Cousins 5x Removed.  Another tie to Dickson Co. Tennessee.

Source:  "United States, Census, 1850", Pittsburg Township, Dwelling 69, Household 70, Line 18-26 ; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M67Z-8F9 : accessed 2 April 2015), Entry for Hudson J Shropshire and Sarah Shropshire, 1850.

Dickson Co TN Probate Records--A. N. Balthrop--proved March 31, 1949 in Rutherford Co TN

On days when the weather isn't that great I enjoy reading through old land and probate records. Today was one of those days.  I found a will that I thought was amusing and spent most of the day researching the family.  No...I have no connection to the family outside of the will being brought before the judge in Dickson Co TN where I grew up.  It was the will of Alvin Nixon Balthrop and included many details. I spent a good part of the day looking over census records, obituaries, cemetery records and family files concerning the family.  I learned that Alvin was called Nick and that he had one son and 3 daughters with his first wife.
The children are listed in his will as follows:
Bobby Balthrop
Roberta(Mrs. H. L. Arnold Jr.)
Bettie(Mrs. Harold T. Shehann)
Becky(Mrs Windle Bates)

Nick's will was written Feb. 21 1948 and proved  Mar 31 1949, just a little bit over a year later in Rutherford Co TN where Nick and his 2nd wife Ruth Caskey Balthrop were living.   He was employed by Consolidated Products of Danville Illinois.  There was a statement from Rutherford Co. dated 1952 with the copy of the will stating the date it was proved in Rutherford Co TN. (see below) and I believe his will is on file with the Dickson Co. Court because it was needed in order to prove ownership of lands or inheritance.

It appears that the Balthrop family was in Virginia as early as late 1600s.  They were in the Westmoreland Virginia area and by 1750s were in Warren Co NC. William Balthrop, GG Grandfather of Alvin Nixon Balthrop was the head of the family that came to Dickson TN.  I see where there are many descendants researching this family and  they seem to be plagued by use of the same names over and over again each generation just like I am in my research.  I am including several of the snippets from the will of Alvin Nixon Balthop.  The full will can be seen at Family Search.

"Tennessee, Probate Court Books, 1795-1927," images, FamilySearch-- Dickson > Wills, 1800-1950 > image 1999 of 2261; county courthouses, Tennessee.

Nick owned the following properties which were mentioned in his will
Properties in
Dickson Co TN Yellow Creek 11th Civil District.(1/3 share)
Jefferson Co KY Louisville
Rutherford Co TN property(left to 2nd wife Ruth Caskey Balthrop)

Nick is shown here at age 10 in the 1910 Census(see original census record for more detail)
1910 Dickson Co TN Civil Dist 11 Sheet 4A
Lee Balthrop Head M 44 Tennessee
Rebecka A Balthrop Wife F 30 Tennessee
David L Balthrop Son M 13 Tennessee (Loy)
Alvin N Balthrop Son M 10 Tennessee (Nick)
Mary Balthrop Daughter F 8 Tennessee
Eliner Balthrop Daughter F 5 Tennessee
Armock Balthrop Son M 3 Tennessee (This is Carmack)
Panthea Balthrop Sister F 55 Tennessee

Both Bettye and Roberta passed in August of 2014.

Nick was buried in Lone Oak Cemetery in Lewisburg(Marshall Co.) TN.  I found several of the family members on FindAGrave and suggested edits to link them to one another.

Childhood Memories-Tuesday Afternoon Genealogy Fun(Apologies to Randy Seaver)

Football caused me to miss Randy Seaver's Sat. Night Genealogy Fun post.
So...I'm posting it as my Tuesday Afternoon Genealogy Fun.

The instructions from Randy's Geneamusings Blog

Here is mine:

I really have very few childhood memories. My earliest I guess would have to be of my Grandpa Cooke. He died when I was two years old yet I remember toddling into his room(he was in the last stages of Lung Cancer) and my Mom & Grandmother trying to get me out of it. I remember him speaking though I don't remember exactly what he said. My Mother some years later told me that he'd told them that they didn't have to rush me out and that it did him good(my unplanned visit)

My next memories were of me starting school. We lived in Charlotte TN at the time and my parents were renting an old farm house from Ralph Taylor. It was close to a cow pasture and I remember at times the ticks were soooo thick on the screen door that it made it hard to see through. I didn't attend kindergarten but started school in the 1st grade in 1974. I was in Mrs. Rachel Weaver's first grade class and I rode the bus to school on my first day. I still remember being scared...it was Mr. Petty's bus. I remember a few of the other children who I think were in Mrs. Weaver's room as well: Lorne Christy, Reid Nicks, Deborah Greer, Daron Richardson, Steven Dawson, Timmy Gibbs, Cynthia Talley, Marsha Sutton and Cindy Procter. A few others from Elementary School were Cynthia Bell, Thom Spicer, Joe Springer, Branford Vaughn, LaTonya Corlew, TomCat, Tonya Travis and Chris R. Caldwell. The teachers would bring a television set into the classroom and would let us watch PBS shows such as "The Electric Company". It was the start of the Sesame Street Generation. For 2nd Grade, my teacher was Mrs. Elliot. I thought the world of her. We got to make molding clay in her class and I can still remember the smell. I was only in her class for a few months before my family moved and I attended Burns Elementary School until the redistrict. Those two months were long enough for me to have one of my most embarrassing moments of my life. I think this happened during a test but it might have been while we were doing seatwork. I'd been bouncing my head off my eraser...unfortunately I forgot I'd turned the pencil around and I broke the lead off in my forehead....something I still have 'til this day.....lol. I remember bleeding a bit and not wanting anyone to see...and then Mrs Elliot noticed... I don't have a picture from 2nd grade in Mrs. Elliot's class. I don't know if we had them made before I moved or not and I don't have one from Mrs Richardson's 2nd grade class which I was in after we moved either. I'd love to run across a copy of the 1st grade group picture. My Grandmother misplaced mine and I've not seen it in years.

Another memory which was a bit funnier looking back than at the time it happened was when I had asked for a bike for my birthday. I don't remember which birthday it was but I do remember my Dad buying me this HUGE tricycle and telling me it was even better than a bike cause I could ride my two brothers around on the back part of it.....yeah right Dad...Love you anyway!!.