Jonah Graduates Junior High

I found this graduation announcement tucked in among various letters and postcards of my great grandmother Esther Richardson Talbott.

                          

Having recently connected with an Elliott cousin, I discovered that Esther and her mother Harriet Elliott Richardson interacted frequently with the Elliott side of the family.  I have also been gaining a new understanding and perspective of the people and places mentioned in the Esther and Harriett's letters.

Here is one such example:

Jonah Elliott was the son of Elias Elie Elliott and Novella King Owen. He was born in 1904 and in 1922 he celebrated his graduation from Buffalo Springs Junior High School. 

Graduation invitations have not changed much since 1922.  They still consist of a printed invitation with a signature card.  Jonah's signature card is a thin piece of paper.  I would like to think that this is Jonah's original signature - something all genealogists and family historians seek out.  

Likely (hopefully!) it is Jonah's signature.

But I'm a mom of teenagers.  

I cannot imagine that 18 year boys liked sitting down to fill out invitations anymore then than now.  Jonah's signature might be his mother Novella's handwriting.

What do you think?

Jonah's handwriting or his mother's?

I love the size of the Jonah's graduation class!  Six!  No room to hide from the teacher here.

Accident or Something More Sinister?

Answering a recent query on Ancestry.com has led to some remarkable discoveries in my Elliott family line.  My new found information also brought clarity to some of the letters and postcards  written to and from Harriett Elliott Richardson - my GG grandmother.

For instance, this letter from Cynthia  (Elliott) Barnett of Cluster Springs, VA to her sister Harriett (Elliott) Richardson of Mecklenburg County, VA:

First page of letter from Cynthia Barnett to Harriet Richardson

In the 31 Jan 1913 letter Cynthia (she signed her name Sis) tells her sister that "Sam was killed". Cynthia states there are questions surrounding the circumstances of Sam's death and if it was indeed an accident or actually murder. He is buried at Black Walnut Baptist Church and Elie was the only family member able to travel quickly enough to attend.

I had read this letter before, but had no reference point in which to place the people mentioned.   After corresponding these past few weeks with a Barnett/Elliott descendant, I can share Cynthia's full story of Sam.

Sam was Sam Barnett of Cluster Springs, VA.  He was the husband of Cynthia Elliott and brother-in-law of Harriett Richardson.  Sam supposedly died when he was hit by a train and he was found on the train tracks.  Suspicions abounded and an inquest was held. One of the questions addressed involved whether Sam was killed at the train tracks by the train or elsewhere and them moved to the train tracks. Sam was a sheriff's deputy who had broken up a number of stills in the county.  Apparently that made him a few enemies.  John Talbott testified that just prior to the incident he had seen Sam and he was intoxicated, but too much so.  Shortly thereafter, John Talbott testified he heard the accident.  The inquest proved inconclusive at least in the minds of many.  Cynthia was left with no real closure in the incident.


Elie who was the only family to travel to the funeral was Elie Elias Elliott, Cynthia and Harriet's brother.  Until  now I had thought Elie was a woman and not a man. Lesson learned.  One should never make assumptions in genealogy.


Did you notice the name of the person testifying at the inquest - John Talbott?  One of my GGG grandfathers.

Was Sam's death the result of an accident or something more sinister? What do you think?

More Elliotts Arrive By E-mail

The Genealogy Happy Dance continues!

L to R (front) Cynthia Elliott, Campbell Barnett, Samuel Barnett
(back)  Edward Scott Barnett, Marion Barnett

More Elliotts have arrived in my inbox! Or in this case, Barnetts.


This is a photograph of Cynthia Elliott (1869-1950)  and Samuel Currie Barnett with their children Campbell "Cam" Barnett (b. 23 Nov 1900), Edward Scott Barnett (b. 8 Oct 1887), and Marion Barnett (b. 19 Apr 1893). Both Cynthia and Samuel are buried at the Black Walnut Baptist Church in Cluster Springs, VA. Cynthia is the oldest of two daughters born to Elias Elliott and Panthea Overby.  Cynthia is the sister to my GG grandmother Harriet "Hattie" Elliott.

Cynthia Elliott (seated) and Harriet Elliott

The resemblance between the two women is striking.  I wonder what their mother looked like.

Elias Arrived By E-Mail

Elias Elliott and His Second Wife Susan Wilkerson

A great granddaughter + a GGG granddaughter + an Ancestry.com query = An Introduction to Elias Elliott

Meet Elias Elliott, my GGG grandfather.

Harriett Ann Elliott was my GG grandmother and the mother of Esther Lee Richardson.  Harriett was the fifth child and youngest daughter of Elias Elliott and Panthea Overby.  The family lived in the Mecklenburg County and Halifax County areas of Virginia and intermarried with my Talbott line.

I have done only basic research on my Elliott line and most of that research has revolved around Harriet Ann Elliott and the Richardson family.  Recently through a query on Ancestry.com, an Elliott cousin and I communicated. Information and photographs were exchanged.

Elias Elliott then arrived in my inbox.

The Genealogy Happy Dance ensued.

Could This Be Will?

Could This Be William Elliott?

The Courtship of Esther series showed that my great grandmother was popular with the young men.  The large number of postcards and letters exchanged proved that fact.  So, the large number of unidentified photos that were also hers?  Could these be photos of her suitors?   Perhaps the photographs are not of family as I first thought. Likely I will never know for sure, but this photo?

One of the young men who corresponded with Esther the longest was Will Elliott. The photo above might be Will.  In a letter dated 11 Mar 1913, Will makes reference to being in Washington, D.C. and having his photo taken.  Examining this photo shows that it was taken in Washingotn, D. C. by Johnson Bros photographer on Penna Ave, Washington, DC.  From his military papers, I learned that Will had blue eyes, medium brown hair and a fair complexion.  It could be him.  Maybe?

Maybe not? As I write this I can think of several reasons the photo would not be Will Elliott.  Oh dear! (I mean, Oh Yeah!)  I now have the opportunity to embark on some photographer research. Wish me luck!

Photo Identified

I had a wonderful visit with my paternal grandmother this weekend. She told me more family stories and helped identify the above photo. The woman in front is Harriet Elliott Richardson (1871-1932) of Pittsylvania County, VA. She was the wife of Daniel Thomas Richardson (1858-1912) and mother of Esther Lee Richardson (1896-1923).

The identity of the woman behind Harriett remains uncertain. There is a strong family resemblance and I wonder if she is Harriett's only sister Cynthia Elliott. I have not researched the Elliott family extensively, but some day soon, I need to look closer at this family.

Postcard form San Antonio, Texas

"A Driveway in Brackenridge Park. San Antonio, Tex."

This postcard is another from my great-grandmother's collection. It is postmarked 8 May 1911 in San Antonio, TX and addressed to her while she was living in Ringgold, VA. It reads:

Hello,

Received card this a.m. are getting on fine. Give all my love. I am sending D. T. [Esther's father Daniel Thomas Richardson] a paper. had a very nice Easter. write soon. By Be_j__ Elliott

I have not researched the Elliott family extensively, however I believe to be from Benjamin Elliott, a cousin to Esther. (Please note that I have not confirmed that completely.) Esther' mother Harriet was an Elliott before her marriage.

Wonder what Benjamin was doing in Texas?

Tombstone Tuesday C R Elliott

C R Elliott

Oct 16, 1861

June 22, 1915

Gone But Not Forgotten

This is the tombstone that stands next to my great x 3 grandmother Sarah Owen Talbott at Pleasant Grove Christian Church near Halifax, VA. As you can see, the stone appears to have been broken off its original base and repaired. I believe CR Elliott to have been the son-in-law of Sarah and John B Talbott, husband of their daughter Bettie. I also have clues that he may be related to me down another line as well.

What I found interesting was where his grave is located. He and his mother-in-law Sarah Talbott are side by side in a plot with no other apparent relatives. The plot is #28 and according to the cemetery directory is owned by a George Newcomb. In addition to Sarah Talbott and CR Elliott, there is a Solomon Clay and four graves marked by field stones. I know of no connection between my ancestors and these other two men. At least, not yet....

Elias Elliott

Elias Elliott was the father of Harriett Ann Elliott and my great x3 grandfather. He was born about 1832 presumably in Virginia. The earliest record I have for Elias is when he appears on the 1850 federal census in the 22nd Regiment District, Mecklenburg, VA. Members of the family include his mother Elizabeth Elliott (listed as head of household), his sister Dorothy (age 23) and Elias (age 18). Based on her age in the census, Elizabeth's birth year appears to be ~1796.

Elias is next found in the 1860 census in the Southern District, Halifax, VA. He is listed with his wife "Panthia" and their son Camillus (age 6 mos). The young family is living with Panthea's mother Sinthia H Overby. Elias's mother Elizabeth is listed several houses away with her daughter and son-in-law.

By 1870 Elias and Panthea are living in Clarksville, Mecklenburg, VA. Three more children have been added to the family: John L, Ransom, Synthia E. Elias is listed as a farmer.

The 1880 federal census tells us a little more about this family. More children have been added- Harriet (my great-great grandmother), Elias, and Sam. Elias continues to farm, but of interest is that a housekeeper has been added to the family. Panthea is listed as having "no occupation" and is checked in the category "maimed, crippled, bedridden or otherwise disabled". Wonder what happened?

The only other record for Elias that I have seen referenced is his marriage bond to Panthea Overby. The couple married in Halifax County, VA on 25 Nov 1859. Only his mother Elizabeth is listed as his parent. No father is listed.

So, at this point in the Elliott line, I have hit a "brick wall". Until Elias's father is identified, this line cannot be traced futher back. Likely, his father died prior to 1840. Looking at the collateral Elliott lines may provide some clues, however, I've had no luck so far. If Elias's father did die, hopefully some estate papers or guardianship papers for the children were generated. A road trip one day.....

Harriet Ann Elliott Richardson

Harriet (Hattie) Elliott was the daughter of Elias and Panthea (Overby) Elliott born 14 Oct 1871 in Buffalo Springs, Mecklenburg, VA. She married Daniel Thomas Richardson about 1895 in Pittsylvania County, VA. In the 1900 and 1910 federal censuses, Daniel and Hattie lived in the Dan River District of Pittslyvania County. In the 1920 census, Hattie is listed as the head of household and living in the Clarksville, Mecklenburg, VA. This is consistent with the fact that Daniel died in 1912. In 1930, she is living in the home of her son, Norman along with his wife, daughter and Hattie's youngest son Ellwood. Hattie died 13 Nov 1932 and is buried in the North Danville Cemetery in Danville, VA.

After her daughter's death in 1923, Hattie kept up correspondence with her son-in-law Bossy and her grandchildren. Letters indicate that both Elma and Crafton visited their grandmother at various times. Also in her letters, she described farming life. Her husband had been a blacksmith (and bootlegger according to Elma Talbott). Upon his death, Hattie supported herself on the farm, at times quite difficult.

One thing I've noticed about Hattie's pictures is that she always seems to be smiling--even feeding chickens!