Tuesday, November 28, 2023

Robert Raleigh Green and Lillie Jane Gray


Robert Raleigh Green was the son of Patrick Terrell Green and Mary Elizabeth Killeen, a daughter of John Killen and Susannah Richardson.  Robert Raleigh married Lillie Jane Gray, a daughter of John Richard Gray and Sarah Gist. 










They had seven children: Nellie, Henderson, Edward (my grandfather), Herbert, Henry, Mary Jane, Fisher Woodrow. Henderson, Mary Jane, and Fisher died very young. Lille died in October of 1918 three months after the death of one month old Fisher. 





Robert, Lillie, Nellie, and William Edward Green. (ca 1909)





After Lille's death Robert married Lonnie McLaughlin. Lonnie had married a Fulks man when she was young and had one child: Bob.   Robert and Lonnie would have had four children: James, Robert, Howard, and Annie. Robert died in August of 1963 of generalized arteriosclerosis. 



Friday, March 5, 2021

Rigdon Irvin Homeplace (2021)


This was originally written in 2001 by Greg Green and is still posted on an old Tripod/Geocities website.  

Rigdon Irvin was probably born in Kershaw County, South Carolina around 1780. By 1832 he was married to Rosamond Mary Ann Lowery and they had ten children.  The last child, Tillman Jefferson Irvin had been born two years before in Kershaw County. In 1832, their eleventh child Martha Jane Irvin was born in Mississippi.  This family was enumerated in the 1840 census. The vast majority of Irvins that lived in the Monroe County, Mississippi and Lamar County, Alabama area descend from the children of this couple.

Much as been said about the location of the actual homeplace of Rigdon Irvin.  There is  circumstantial evidence that suggests that it may have been located directly south of Kenneth Ray’s present day house.  It revolves around a land document, a square well, a photograph, and the memory of one of the oldest living people living in the general area. 

On February 27, 1841 Rigdon Irvin filed a land patent for 39.97 acres of land that encompasses the  SE ¼  of NW ¼  of Section 30 in Township 13 S , Range 16 W (Huntsville Meridian) of Monroe County, Mississippi.  Close examination of this patent on present day USGP topographical maps would place the extreme northeastern corner of this land parcel somewhere directly in front of the home of Kenneth Ray. 




Between 1841 and September 6, 1890, the descendants of Rigdon Irvin acquired the NE ¼ of this section of land. This is known because on the September date Anthony Irvin, a son of Rigdon, and his wife sold the E ½ of NW ¼ to a W.R. Irvin.  The half section exchanged hands two more times within the Irvin family before Susan E. Blaylock Pickle bought it from A.M.”Andy” Irvin on August 8, 1904.  Wes Ray and wife Myrtice, daughter of Susan Pickle, lived on this land until their deaths. 


            Home of Wes and Myrtice Ray (Taken from the well house)

The home of Myrtice and Wes Ray is still standing today. It is situated to the west of Kenneth Ray’s home, approximately thirty yards down a slight grade.  There is little or no yard between the bottom step of the front porch and the road that passes in front of the house. As a young boy, before the road was paved, I remember that the dust from a passing car would not start on its descent from the air before it started settling on the unfortunate folks sitting in the front porch.  In the southwest corner of the so called front yard is located the well from which Wes and Myrtice always got their water.  The well is the second piece of evidence. This well is a square dug well. I always thought that the well box was square and assumed that the actual well hole was round. However, when questioned, Kenneth Ray stated that the well was dug square. Apparently this well has been mentioned in Irvin family legend because I have been ask or told about its existence several times through the years.  It has been said that Rigdon Irvin dug the well himself.  The position of the well would place it within fifty yards of  the extreme northeastern corner of Rigdon Irvin’s original forty acres.



I have gone back to Wes and Myrtice Rays children, Kenneth Ray and Christine Ray Wilson, and ask them about old house sites on the land where they grew up. Specifically I ask them about the area south of the present day road. Based on the USGS topographic maps, I think Rigdon’s original forty acres would be located directly south of the road. The northern boundary may even be in the road, but with out a proper survey I can not be certain.  As far as they know there were two structures south of the present day road. The first structure was located directly in front of Kenneth Ray’s present day home. The other was located where Wes and Myrtice Ray’s barn is located and at the present falling in. The house that once stood where the barn is located is a story in itself. According to Kenneth Ray, the house was a two story house. The bottom was used as a school house. He said that a set of stairs led up to the top floor. The top floor was more or less a loft that was used as sleeping quarters. Wes Ray apparently tore down most of the house and placed the barn directly over  the site. The steps that led to the sleeping loft became the steps to the barn loft. Kenneth said that the chimney rock may still be out there. I have never seen them, nor do I have much interest in moving the snakes out of the way looking for them. According to Kenneth the other house was located south of the road and in front of his house. This house was made of logs.  This I can attest to, because as a young boy I remember digging in the ruins of the home for bottles and other treasures. 


Basically the roof had fallen into the house, but a good deal of the log walls of each side were still standing. In order to venture into the house several rows of logs had to be scaled by this aspiring antique collector.  Probably the key to all of this is Kenneth’s remembrance of one end of the front porch. This end had been boarded up with rough plank lumber. Probably this was a home improvement room addition project of one of Rigdon’s descendants.  Kenneth said that when he was young that they had used the room to dry peas and for other storage purposes.  





I received a copy of the picture above several years ago. Unfortunately I did not record the sender of the picture and to this date I do not know the history of the picture. It is stated on this document that the picture is of Rigdon Irvin’s homeplace. If this is correct, which I have no way of proving, then I propose that this house was the log house that sat directly in front of Kenneth Ray’s home.  The most compelling evidence is the front of the house. Looking at the picture it appears the left side (with the chimney) is log. However, the right side is planked. This side seems to jut outward more than the left side. I think that this is the added on Kenneth spoke of. Probably it is the result of boxing in a portion of the porch.  The family that was photographed in front of the house is also a piece of evidence of sorts. In the document they are identified as the family of Francis Leake Munn. According to Kenneth, he was told by Myrtice Ray, that Munns were living on the place when her mother bought the land.  This seems contradict the land records due to the fact that Susan Pickle bought the land from Andy Irvin and that no Munns are mentioned in the land deeds. However, Kenneth and his wife lived in what he said was called the Andy Irvin place before they built their present day house. This Irvin house was located several hundred yards west of the house in the picture. So it is assumed that Andy was not living in the log house at the time of the land transaction between him and Susan Pickle. Kenneth also spoke of a house that was “up the holler” north of the road and west of the Wes Ray’s house.  So there were appears to be plenty of housing in the general area at the time I am discussing. Enough housing for several other families, like the Munns, to live on the Irvin place.  



In summary, the evidence to locate the actual site of Rigdon Irvin’s homeplace is somewhat circumstantial and sketchy. It is based on the original land records, an unaccredited and unproved picture, the presence of the fabled square well, and the remembrances of Kenneth Ray, and to a lesser extent myself. However, at this time, there seems no other plausible location.  


In 2021 analysis of the cabin indicate single pen construction with dovetail logs and wooden singles.  The front room appears to be roughly planked in. This style home would represent the earliest form of housing and correndspond to what would have been built in the 1830's and 140's by Rigdon Irvin. 


One interesting, or at least I think it is, problem with this theory is the distance between the well and the homeplace. I would hate to know I had to walk forty or fifty yards to get the morning water. I would really hate to have to go that far to  quench my thirst if the house bucket went dry. Kenneth had a possible explanation. The well may have been positioned near where the stock was watered. To him, ease in watering the stock  would have had greater importance than convenience to the house.



Greg Green

January 21, 2001






Wednesday, February 14, 2018

James Monroe Ray and Bettie Atkins

James Monroe Ray Family


Based on age and what I remember about the picture:

  • Top Row (L-R) James Wesley Ray, James Ray, Will Ray
  • Two Girls in White (L-R): Sara and Ida 
  • Bottom (L-R): Roy, Monroe holding Lillian, Granny Bet


James Monroe Ray was a son of Jasper Newton Ray and Sarah Irvin. He married Bettie E. Aikens were married on 31 Jul 1895. They had the following children:


1. James Wesley Ray was born on 17 May 1896. He died on 13 Jun 1980. He married Myrtice Lulu R. Pickle. They were my great-grandparents. This picture hung on a wall in their house.

2. James "Jeames" Ray was born on 12 Mar 1899.

3. William Ray was born in 1900.

4. Sara Ray was born on 02 Sep 1902.

5. Ida Ray was born in 1905.

6. Roy Reeth Ray[1] was born in 1907

7. Lillian Ray was born on 07 Sep 1911

Monroe and Bettie had another child named Linda. I was told that Linda died as an infant.
Linda Ray died as an infant. In the 1910 Census there is a six month old Annie in the house. This could possible be the child Linda.


Monday, February 12, 2018

David Pickle, Company L 43rd Mississippi Infrantry

David Pickle was child of Robert Pickle and Sarah Aldridge of Monroe County, Mississippi. David was born September 2, 1833 when the Pickle family were living in Fayette County, Alabama. David married Francis J. Carter on October 8, 1857.

David enlisted in Captain S.J. Gholson's  company of Confederate volunteers on April 30, 1862 in Athens, Monroe County, Mississippi. The Gholson Rebels became Company L of the 43rd Mississippi Infantry Regiment. David was on roll in February, April, and June of 1863. The company, including David, was surrendered to Union forces at Vicksburg on July 4, 1863. By general order the entire company was furloughed for 30 days upon which time they were to report to parole camp at Columbus, Mississippi. On October 31, 1863 David was listed as paroled and absent without leave. A note at a later muster roll stated that be had been absent without leave since August 23, 1863. He apparently never returned to duty.


Children of David Pickle and Francis J. Carter:
Robert Pickle was born about 1859 in Mississippi
Florence Pickle was born about 1860 in Mississippi
Manerva Pickle was born about 1863 in Mississippi
Adella Pickle was born about 1865 in Mississippi
Mary Pickle was born on Unknown in Mississippi.

It has been reported that David married a Francis Jane Tyrone.  They had one child -  Andrew Woody Pickle, born 7/12/1867 in Aberdeen, Monroe County, Mississippi. He died April 23, 1930 in Bowman, Arkansas and was buried in Keller Chapel Cemetery, Green County, Arkansas. However, other researchers say that Woody was a son of Francis Jane Carter and David.

In 2018, David's wife is still identified as Francis Jane Carter by some researchers and as Francis Jane Tyrone as others. A Francis J. Pickle applied for a Civil War pension in Craighead, Arkansas.

David died in Craighead County Arkansas and was buried in Pine Hill Cemetery. Jane died in 1904 and was buried in the same cemetery.

Sources:

  • Pickle-Ray Family File, Greg Green, February 12, 2018
  • 1870 Monroe County Mississippi Census.
  • Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Mississippi. Original data from: The National Archives, Retrieved from at 3-Fold February 12, 2018. (http://www.fold3.com).
  • David Pickle Find-A-Grave Memorial #84922894
  • Francis Jane Tyron Pickle Find-A-Grave Memorial#8492280

Saturday, January 27, 2018

Unknown Couple

Unknown Couple

When going through my mother and Daddy house I found a lot of pictures that I did not remember from my childhood. I assume that this picture came out of one of several family homes.

My first thoughts is that this comes from my grandmother Lurlie Green's house. It seems like I can remember this on the dresser in their bedroom. A bedroom that was positioned between the eating room and the living room and twas absent of any type of shutting door.

This could possibly Martin Luther Shewbart and Lillie Anthum Johnston. Daddy said Luther Shewbart was bald headed and sported a big beard and Lurlie looks a lot like this lady.

This picture was in a frame from maybe the 80's. It is not an original picture. It is on Kodak paper, so I think this is a picture of a picture in an oval frame.

Please contact me if you know these people.

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Children of Martin Luther Shewbart and Lillie Anthum Johnson (ca 1934)





          Front Row (Left to Right):
  • Leland McCullar: second son of  Noah Lacey McCullar  and Zella Shewbart, born in 1931. 
  • Noah Lacy McCullar ,Junior: first son of  Noah Lacey McCullar  and Zella Shewbart, born September 20, 1928
  •  Martin Luther Shewbart
  • Losene Shewbart
  • Lillie Shewbart
  •  Billy Green: second child of Lurlie Shewbart and Edward Green born November 12, 1930.
  • Mary Jo Green: first child of Lurlie Shewbart and Edward Green born March 30, 1928.
  • Evelyn Knight: first child of Bertha Shewbart and Burin Knight                                                 
·      
    Back Row (Left to Right)
  •       Noah Lacy McCullar: Husband of Zella Shewbart
  •       Bertha Shewbart Knight holding Ethylene Knight, second child of Bertha and Burin Knight born in about 1934.
  •       Zellie Shewbart McCullar
  •             Lurlie Shewbart Green
  •       Edward Green: Husband of Lurlie Shewbart. He is holding R.L. Green, third child born June 17, 1932 to Edward and Lurlie.
  •       Myrtle Shewbart
  •       Maybell Shewbart
  •        Roy Shewbart.






Saturday, May 31, 2014

Martin Luther Shewbart and Lillie Anthum Johnson





Martin Luther Shewbart was born on 20 Aug 1887 in Burless (probably Burleson), Franklin County, Alabama.  He was the son of James W. Shewbart and Mattie Harris. He died on 21 Sep 1962 and was buried at Williams Chapel in Winston County, Alabama. He married Lillie Anthum Johnson. She is believed to be the daughter of Charles W. Johnson and Rosa Catherine Stout. Lillie was born January 7, 1885 and died July 22, 1949. She is buried at Williams Chapel with Martin.

In 1917 the couple was living in Vina, Alabama with six children. Martin was recorded on his Draft Card as self-employed farmer.

It is said that Martin took his family to Winston County, Alabama when Roy was five years old. This would be around 1928.



Children:
Lurlie Anthum Shewbart was born on November 3, 1907.
Ann Zella Shewbart was born on June 4, 1909
Ora Shewbart was born on January 12, 1911.
Bertha Shewbart was born on August 16, 1912.
Belva Lou Shewbart was born on 13 Mar 1915.
Myrtle"Jewel" Shewbart was born Mar 8 1917
Mae Belle Shewbart was born May 1, 1920
Eva Odell Shewbart was born on 04 Aug 1922.
Roy C. Shewbart was born on 17 Aug 1923
Era Losene Shewbart was born on 11 May 1927



Sources
Luther Shewbart Draft Registration Card, Franklin County, Alabama.
E-mail from Barbara Wiginton 6/27/2000 (Zip File: Alexander Family Tree).
E-mail from Rhonda Shewbart 7/25/2000.
Pinetucky Cemetery - Partial Inventory Greg Green 8/5/2000.
Personal Knowledge.
Social Security Death Index, Ancestry.com.
Sparks Chapel Cemetery, Gene Thorn (www.interment.net/data/us/al/franklin/).
Tombstone Inscription.
Williams Cemetery Partial Inventory Greg Green 8/5/2000.
1900 Franklin County Alabama Census.
The Shewbart Ancestry, Ronda Shewbart Crittenden, http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/c/r/i/Ronda-S-Crittenden/index.html