J.G. Cook & D.V. Putnam--guests at Broadway House Hotel

The "From the Hotels" section of the paper for 13th September 1888 listed several familiar names among those at the Broadway House hotel.   J. G. Cook is Jefferson Gideon Cook(son of Wm C Cook and Elizabeth Putman) and D V Putnam is J. G. Cook's 1st cousin(the son of William Putman, brother of Elizabeth.)  David Vance spelled his surname as Putnam rather than Putman.  If, as some believe, Wm Putman's wife was the sister of Wm C. Cook, then Gideon and David Vance were double 1st cousins.  According to the 1888 city directory L W. Russell was the proprietor of the Broadway House hotel which was located at 413 Broadway.

Broadway House
Chas. Arnholt, St. Louis, MO
P. C. Snyder, St Joe, MO
W. M. Davis, Lasea
A. J. Redditt and wife,
Miss Moss, Riddleton
Harry V. Cooper, Wartrace
D. McDowald, Louisville
R. A. Smith, Columbia
W. H. Rhoads, Westmoreland
T. N. Moss, Echo
J. F. Carr, Hartsville
J. F. Duffer, Echo
W. H. Herman, Chattanooga
J. L. Jordan, Triune
J. W. Nowlen, Holt's Corner
Wm. Smith, Moodyville
S. B Smith, Bagdad
J. J. Bingham, Bingham
C. D. Kirkpatrick, Southall
W. J. Stallings, Palmetto
J. W. Osteen, Chapel Hill
W. W. Tullos
D. H. Roberts, Rock Hill
Chas. Biles, Franklin
D.V. Putnam, Nolensville
J. G. Cook, Eagleville
I. S. Page, Triune
T. Sanderson
R. M. Sanford, Nolensville
M. G. Corlett
J. B Reee(sic), Reed's Store
J. P. Barksdale, Celina
J. C. Rodgers, Wailes Station
E. P. Frazier, Godwin
J. H. McLerran, Celina

Sources:
"At The Hotels," Broadway House, The Tennessean, 13 Sep 1888, P. 3, col 5; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 10 Sep 2023).

"U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995," digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469 : accessed 10 September 2023) Tennessee > Nashville > 1888 > Image 87 of 474.

Receipt from Dr. Andrew Hollabaugh, M.D.

 Two of the items in the Cooke/Jakes Family Archives binder are receipts from where my grandmother was a patient of Dr. Andrew Hollabaugh.  This particular one is from 23rd of August 1962.  There is another one dated 14th March 1963.  Dr. Hollabaugh suffered a fatal heart attack on the 7th of April 1963.

A few interesting items about Dr. Hollabaugh: 

• Medical Degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine(1926)
• Post Graduate Work at Nashville General & New York Poly Clinic Hospital.
• Eye, Ear, Nose, & Throat specialist(1929)
• He had also been an instructor at Vanderbilt Medical School in addition to being a member of the Nashville Academy of Medicine, Davidson County Medical Association and American Medical Association.
• Member of Phi Beta Pi fraternity
• Member of St. George's Episcopal Church
• Buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Nashville(which is also where my grandmother is buried)

If you are interested in knowing more about my Cooke/Jakes Family Archives binder you can read more about it in my post from 4 years ago entitled "Just a Small Portion of a Family's Paper Trail."

Source:

Cooke/Jakes Family Archive Binder, Receipt from the office of Dr. Andrew Hollabaugh dated 1962 Aug 23; binder is currently held by Marie Cooke Beckman.

“Hollabaugh Dies at 60,” The Tennessean, 08 Apr 1963, p. 19, col. 3; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 17 Sep 2022).

Women's Apparel--Fox on 5th Avenue--Nashville TN--1948

June Cooke Brannon

Among the things that my paternal Grandmother had in her Scrapbooking box were two store credit/layaway payment cards.  The cardholder is her daughter--my Aunt June.  The store sold women's apparel and was located in Nashville.    The time of the purchases and layaway(early 1948) coincides with Aunt June's wedding to John Arnette Brannon.  Their wedding announcement describes the outfit she wore as a navy blue suit with matching accessories and also mentions that she wore red roses on her jacket lapel.  June was working for Southern Telephone Company during this time.

Unmailable Letters in Nashville PO--Mon. July 18, 1870

Unmailable Letters at the Nashville PO(TN) on July 18, 1870

This article is particularly interesting to me because it gives the explanation of the reason the letters are not being mailed.  The reasons range from No Stamp to Illegally Stamped.  

Published in The Tennessean Tues. July 19, 1870  Page 4. 

https://www.newspapers.com

One of my favorite Ancestry Databases

One of my favorite databases at Ancestry.com is the U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995.
In the 1990s when I was just beginning my research, I didn't give much thought to directories.  I had imagined they were just like phone books.  Wrong!  There is so much more in a directory.   Don't believe me?  See my blog post from June of 2017--In Praise of City Directories.   If you are an Ancestry subscriber(or your local library has access) you can browse to a directory of interest and see for yourself. I used the 1940 Nashville Tennessee City directory this past week a great deal.  In an effort to save time I found the start of each section and made myself an index of sorts using the image number.  This is something I'd recommend doing for any directory you will be browsing thru frequently.   Browse the directories. There is so much that isn't indexed.  I've noted the image numbers along with the pages for the directory I used last week and I'm including the outline below in case it would be of use to any others who are researching in that area and time period.

Nashville, Tennessee, City Directory, 1940
R. L Polk & Co. Nashville City Directory 1940 [Images 1-748]

• The Alphabetical List of Names pg 37-1040 [Begins on Image 17]
• The Buyers' Guide pg 1-76 [Begins on Image 538]
• The Directory of Householders, including Street and Avenue Guide pg 1041-1273 [Begins on Image 578]
• The Classified Business Directory pg 1353-1444 [Begins on Image 698]

Finding Cousin Ruth in the 1940 Federal Census

This post is a continuation of my previous post about my Dad's paternal 1st Cousin, Margaret Ruth Thompson Cooper.  If you haven't read that earlier post and click on her name in the previous sentence.  I'm going to refer to her as Ruth because that is what my family always called her.  On Ruth's death certificate it lists her legal residence as 129 6th Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee.  I'd never been able to find Ruth thru a search of the census so now that I had the address where she was residing in 1941(and also listed there in 1940 directory as mentioned in the earlier post), I took that information and went looking for the Enumeration District for that address using the Steve Morse Census Tool.
From locating the address on a Google Map earlier I could see that the intersecting street was McGavock which narrowed it down to 2 Enumeration Districts.  I then browsed to the first of the two districts mentioned which had 12 pages and read those looking at the Street names.  Nothing...on to the next Enumeration District.  About halfway thru the 20 something pages, I find the address.  Margaret Ruth Thompson Cooper is listed as Margaret Moore.  No wonder I couldn't find her.  This is really odd to me because earlier in the directory for 1940 she is listed under last name Coopermore and the only one listed at the address in the directory. In the Census there are 4 other women who are in their 20s living at the same residence. Three of those women are divorced and one is widowed.   Some answers but more questions.  Are all these Margaret Cooper's the same person?

Newspapers.com - The Tennessean - 30 Mar 1941 - Page 31

A few thoughts 

1. I know from the information on the Death Certificate that the person listed is Cousin Ruth.  Her parents' names, place, and date of birth are exactly as they should be.  Too, we have her maternal 1st Cousin as the informant.  The residence on the Death Certificate and the census are the same so it seems likely that it was her.

Snippets from Tennessee, Death Records, 1908-1958 Ancestry.com 2011 Provo UT

From TN Death Certificate of Margaret Ruth Cooper who died March 22 , 1941

2.  She's listed as divorced in the census AND on the death certificate.  Her former husband B. V. Cooper remarried in 1939.

Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee; Roll: m-t0627-03972; Page: 6A; ED: 99-42

3.  Why is the name/word "more" or  Moore listed in both the directory AND the census?

Very odd unless she was married to a Moore and divorced sometime in between her 1st marriage and 1940.  Also to have the word more added on the end of her surname Cooper in the directory is odd.  She is noted as the person who gave the info for herself in the 1940 Census.  

4.  I think my next plan of action should be to look at the other four persons enumerated with her and see if I can determine any connections.  

5.  Additionally, I need to find her divorce records from B. V. Cooper.  

An Address--Past and Present--Ruth Thompson Cooper

My Dad's paternal 1st cousin Margaret Ruth Thompson Cooper passed away in 1941 from tuberculosis.  I have a digital copy of her death certificate which lists her address as 129 6th Avenue S, Nashville, Tennessee.  On seeing the address and noting that the certificate said she had been sick for 6 months I had thought the address was probably a hospital or one of the sick houses for those with TB.  So I went looking thru the 1940 Nashville City Directory for that address. I found her listed but her surname has the word "more" added to the end of it.  I checked the abbreviation key page and didn't find "more" listed.  If it is a boarding house and there are more people why are their names not listed? Odd.

I was curious to see what is in that location today so I checked the address on Google Maps.   Today that would be near the Ryman Auditorium, Bridgestone Arena and not far from Nissan Stadium.  She is listed there in the 1940 and 1941 directory.  In the 1938 directory,  she is listed at 107½ 4th Avenue North, Nashville, Tennessee.  The 4th Avenue address is only a few blocks away and is closer to the Ryman Auditorium.  Given this information, it seems that this was a neighborhood she had live in for at least 4 yrs.

Google Map for 129 6th Avenue South, Nashville Tennessee

Margaret was listed as Mrs. in her last two directory entries.  She had married in 1933 in Williamson Co TN to Burgess V Cooper.  I haven't found her divorce yet but Burgess remarries in 1939 and she is listed as divorced on her Death Certificate.The informant on her Death Certificate was her cousin J. W. Cook, son of her maternal Uncle Clarence Cook.  There were many from my family who died of TB within the 1920 to 1945 timeframe.  

I've not been able to find her in the 1940 census but with the information obtained from her Death Certificate I know she was still alive and the city directories tell me where she is living.  I really need to do a bit more digging and get her story out.  I feel like I have just scratched the surface. 

Notes: 

Ancestry.com. Tennessee, Death Records, 1908-1958 [https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2376]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. TN Death Cert of Mrs. Margaret Ruth Cooper (Davidson Co. TN 1941)

Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2469]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Browsed to the TN--Nashville ---1940 listing Nashville, Tennessee, City Directory, 1940

Image 115 of 748 (listed alphabetically by surname)
Image 673 of 748 (by street address)


Google Maps Address 129 6th Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee(accessed 2/22/2018)

Uncle Morris' Bowling Score from The Tennessean(1959)

My Dad's older brother, Morris Cooke enjoyed bowling.  A search on his name at Newspapers.com included this entry from a 1959 Tennessean.  I believe Granny and family were living on East Greenwood Avenue in Nashville in 1959. 

The Tennessean (Nashville, Tennessee)  28 Feb 1959  Sat.  Page 11 (www.newspapers.com accessed Jan. 28, 2018)

Bankrupt Notices Several Middle TN Counties--March 1842--Part 1

Bankrupt Notices from The Tennessean (Nashville, Tennessee)--23 Mar 1842(Wed) Pg. 3
The following are the persons filing from Bedford, Coffee, Davidson, Rutherford, and Williamson Counties of the Middle District of TN and I've listed them by county in no particular order.

Ancestors and Alcohol

The Daily Republican Banner  Sat. Oct  13, 1838 pg 1

An Advertisement from 1838 Nashville TN newspaper about wine and brandy available for sale was not that uncommon.  The earlier newspapers seem to have many advertisements where folks are either looking to purchase or to sell items used to make liquor. My Ogilvies were especially found of distilleries.  Stills and other items or ingredients used in the production of liquor were a common part of their estates.  Even shares in upcoming production of whiskey was mentioned in my 5th Great Grandfather, William Ogilvie's will(April Session 1813 Williamson Co. TN)

Nashville Whig --Wed. April 7 1813 advertisement states:
Stills
A Hynes & Co.
Are now manufacturing, and will
constantly have on hand, a number of the
best kind of Copper Stills.
Nashville, March 24, 1813

From the 1826 Madison Co TN probate records of Charles S. Barthe, I found the contents of a mercantile store listed--much of which is liquor.  As I first read though the inventory list I had wondered if it might have been a tavern due to the amount of drinks and glasses. Further along in the inventory listing there are large amounts of grains, household goods, fabrics, and medicines as well as work tools.  Perhaps the large stock of alcohol was due to it being used as more than just a good drink? It was a pain medicine, tonic, cough syrup and in some cases a disinfectant.

Beckman family in 1930 Nashville City Directory.

A follow-up to my post from last Friday about finding my daughter's Paternal 2nd Gr Grandparents and their son(from Franklin Co. Indiana)  enumerated in Nashville Tennessee during the 1930 census.

It doesn't look like they were just passing thru.  I also found them in the Nashville Directory.

Directories are a great resource that often times get overlooked.  Ancestry has a pretty good selection of directories especially for the larger cities.  In addition to placing a person at a specific place within a given time period you can also find out about the area by reading the business directory section.  Some directories also contain additional information about the areas which they cover.

Postcard to Pearl---Panama City, Florida Nov. 28, 1952

I believe this postcard is from Pearl's brother, William "Bill" Bryan Jakes, whose wife was Georgia B. Jakes.  The Lula mentioned in the note is the sister of Pearl and Will.

This is the hospital G. B. was in

Dear Pearl, How are you all, fine we hope.  Georgia is getting along fine.  Has to go back to the Dr. today.  I really think these treatments will do her some good.  Hope so any way.  You call Lula.  I try to write you both one at a time Love Bill and All

Address to Mrs. Pearl Cook 1209 Calvin (Ave), Nashville, Tenn.
Postmarked  Nov. 28, 1952  Panama City Florida

How the houses my Grandparents lived in look today--Part 2

Another of the homes of my Grandparents, Thomas Dewitt & Pearl Gray Jakes Cooke

1401 Forrest Avenue--They lived here in the early 1960s

Google Image from Aug 2011

Sept 1963

How the houses my Grandparents lived in look today-- Part 1

Thank You,  Grandma Cooke for gluing the envelopes in your scrapbooks.    This helped me to determine where you lived at different times by checking the postmark and address.  Also a big thank you for thinking that in front of the house was the best place to have a picture taken. 

1209 Calvin Avenue, Nashville, TN, USA

Circa 1953

Google Map Image Street View from Aug 2011

Listing of TN/KY Hospitals Participating in Credit Plan of Nashville Regional Blood Center

 Since Halloween is tomorrow I thought this post was seasonally appropriate.

The following scans are of  a letter which my Grandfather, Thomas D. Cooke received as a pensioner.  The letter which is dated April 19th 1956, contains a listing of KY/TN hospital participating in a Credit Plan of the Nashville Regional Blood Center.

 

Clues from Pearl

I've spent the last few weeks pouring over old letters postcards and receipts that my grandmother had in her scrapbooks. I was able to get a lot of information about where my grandparents lived at different times by studying things that you might not think would contain genealogy information.

Television repair receipts, postcards from family & friends, insurance policies, hospital bills, money order receipts....yes my Grandma Pearl Jakes Cooke was a pack rat but I'm thankful for that.

Sept 1945 911 Dotson St. Old Hickory, TN
Nov 1952 1209 Calvin Ave. Nashville, TN
July 1953 1209 Calvin Ave. Nashville, TN
Nov 1957 903 W. Eastland Ave. Nashville, TN
Mar 1965 402 North 16th St Nashville, TN
June 1966 1020 W. Eastland Ave. Nashville, TN
June 1970 144 Harrington Ave Madison TN
Dec 1971 203 North Charlotte St Dickson, TN
June 1974 110 Mae Circle Dickson, TN