Robin R. Foster's Blog, page 3

Death with Details Will Link Us

Because I interviewed Ellis McClure, the grandson of Columbus McClure, I discovered the details about his tragic death.  I do have a few different versions of the story, but I had enough good clues to find the death certificate. I conducted this interview long before I got inspired to search for actual documentation: Where is Grandpa? Oral History Interview of Ellis McClure (genealogyjustask.com)

    According to oral history, he was walking or driving across a railroad track in which ran alongside his property in Birmingham, Alabama and was hit by a train.  It is not clear to me that he was walking.  He was a driver for a landscape company, so I am not sure why he would have been out walking down by the tracks.

     I was able to confirm the fact that he was struck by the train from the death certificate. A few years ago, I found the index at Ancestry.com. I had to contact the department of vital records to order a copy of the original. 

   

  I was happy to discover further details:

   

Birth:   November 1881 in Alexander City, Alabama Father: Bill McClure (William) Mother:  Jane (I later discovered her last name was Champion before she married William McClure) Burial:  Woodlawn Cemetery

 

These details helped me to locate his headstone:

   

We visited Birmingham just before I had a stroke back in 2016, but I did not find the headstone until later. Remember to look around in the cemetery for other family members. I did find his daughter, Lula Bell McClure (1905-1925) - Find a Grave Memorial, right next to Columbus.

We even have found census records. This is the first one without Columbus:

His wife, Corinne, is with two sons, Columbus and Archie in 1930. Corinne owned her property valued at $6,000. Where is Grandpa? Oral History Interview of Ellis McClure (genealogyjustask.com) is Ellis' memory of being on the farm and asking Grandma what happened.

We still have so much to find. While I knew Ellis' dad, Archie, I feel as if I know his family a little better. See Documented Columbus McClure's Probate Record in Alabama, Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999 (genealogyjustask.com).

Extract and Confirm All the Information on a Death Certificate, Part 2

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/3176fe_ba7f9686eb314c058ba68050c92c893a/720p/mp4/file.mp4

It is special when you have photo of your ancestor on a death certificate but to have the photo of the spouse as well is just over the top! This is Daisy Blanch Chick Tucker (1883-1941). She was married to George Anderson Tucker (1882 – 1932). They had twelve children. They all worked the farm in Union County, South Carolina. She would go into town and sell her eggs. George took sick. His daughter, Otis, had to take him to Columbia to care for him. That is where he died. How hard that must have been losing the love of your life. She is listed on the death certificate below as number fourteen.

We will do the remaining numbers we put on the death certificate of George Anderson Tucker (1882-1932):

(2) City of Columbia: The city is not always the place where your ancestor lived. I could not find George anywhere. I was told by Julius Reynolds Tucker (1939-2023) that he would have been in Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina. George was Julius's grandfather. I had been looking for George in Buffalo, Union County, South Carolina.

(3) Full name: George A. Tucker. He was actually named after his grandfather, George Anderson Tucker (1827-1860)

(5) Registration District No.: 38a

(6) File for the State Registrar Only: 19230

(7) Registered No.: 1025

(8) Sex: Male (I have seen the sex recorded wrong).

(9) Color or race: Colored

(11) Single, Married, Widowed, Divorced: Married

(12) Date of death (month, day, year): 12-11-1932

(13) I saw him alive on Dec. 9, 1932, and is said to have occurred on the date above, at 4:30 am.

(14) The principal cause of death and related causes of importance in order of onset where as follows:

Pulmonary Tuberculosis - about May 1932

(15) Age 49

(16) Occupation: Farmer (Be sure to check the 1900 Census and land records)

(17) Birthplace: Union Co. S. C. (This is so important to you research because you can look for the father and the mother in this place)

(23) File: Dec. 15, 1932 - P. E. Payne M. D.

(24) Signed: C. E. Stephenson M. D. - Columbia, S. C.

The detail that sticks out to me the most is the fact that Julius, George's grandson, was the person that informed that George had gone from Union County, SC to Columbia, SC where is eldest daughter took care of him until he died on the eleventh off December in 1932. To have Julius to tell me this is fascinating to me because he was not born until the year 1939. All this information would have remained a mystery to me.

That is why I always tell folks doing their family history to take their time and go in order starting with themselves moving backwards in time. The very oral history or record that you skip might be the one you really needed. Then I tell people to look carefully at the historical record. Let it sit for some time and go back and look it over again and again. A new detail will stick out. Promise!

Five ancestors appear on this death certificate:

George A. Tucker is my great grandfather. Daisy Tucker is my great grandmother. Martha Talley is my second great grandmother. Epps Tucker (George Epps Tucker) is my second great grandfather. E. W. Vance (Emory Wallace Vance, Sr) is my grandfather. His wife is Otis Edna Tucker Vance, the daughter that took care of George.

This is a valuable document to me. Be sure you check the blog post that I wrote before this one: Extract and Confirm All the Information on a Death Certificate. While the blog post was not part of my book, My Best Genealogy Tips: Quick Keys to Reseach Ancestry, check out my many examples using historical records.

Extract and Confirm All the Information on a Death Certificate

George Anderson Tucker (1882 – 1932), Robin R. Foster's great grandfather. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/K68P-D7G

With the availability of so many records online now you can become inundated with all the historical records you collect and not pay attention as you should to the details on each record. Have you met with a challenge in documenting an ancestor? The real quest in genealogy research is to extract the details from a record and use that information to locate further information and resources.

"South Carolina Deaths, 1915-1943," index and images, FamilySearch

(https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N96F-K4V : accessed 16 Feb 2014), George A.

Tucker in entry for George A. Tucker, 11 Dec 1932.

To illustrate the importance of looking at each detail on a record, look at the information gleaned from the death certificate of George A. Tucker. To really be successful at using the information provided in historical documentation, you really need to be highly inquisitive and resist taking information at face value. This is illustrated in several numbered extractions taken from the death certificate mentioned above along with the questions or conclusions that came to mind. Not every numbered item on the death certificate is included below:   

(1) Place of death: Richland County. Was this where George lived? No, he was documented on each available census living in Union County.

(4) Address: 1501 Manning Ave. Why was George listed as living at this address when he lived Union County? It was discovered that George’s oldest daughter, Otis Vance, took care of him during his illness. This was her address.

   

(10) Married: This does not say widowed, so his wife was living at the time of his death.

(18) Father: Epps Tucker. This is not the full name of George’s father, but he was known by this nickname. According to oral history and historical documentation (a will), his name was George Epps Tucker.

George Epps Tucker (1859–1927) Thomas Stokes gave this photo. Friend Shares Items That Document My 2nd Great Grandfather (genealogyjustask.com)

(19) Mother: Martha Talley. Martha’s maiden name was not Talley. Her maiden name was Sims. She was never married to Epps Tucker, but this was their child. Interracial marriages were against the law during this time period. George A. Tucker also was the name of the father of Epps. Oral history, census records, and wills were used to confirm this.

(20) Informant: E. W. Vance, the son-in-law of George A. Tucker. Always contact the informant or family of the informant to learn more. George was living in his home while his wife, Otis, cared for George, her father.

(21) Burial: Union, SC. What is the name of the cemetery where George was buried? According to oral history, he was buried in the family cemetery at Maple Ridge Baptist Church. No headstone exists, so this must be researched further.

(22) Funeral home: Manigault. Locate the funeral home record and look for a newspaper obituary.

Hopefully, you are able to see the value of weighing each piece of information on a record. Do not shy away from doing it because you do not know how to use the information. I have been very persistent in taking from the death record. I am still finding clues.

You need to evaluate the details that you find on a death certificate because even original records can have incorrect information. Not all the information provided on a death certificate occurred at the time the record was generated making the possibility for errors even greater. So how do you go about analyzing the data? Some tips to do this are included below. 

Unfortunately, like many death certificates, the name of the cemetery has not been provided. That can be a huge disappointment if the funeral home is no longer in business. When this happens, consult your family to ask about known burial sites in the area. Consult death notices in newspapers and take a trip to the church cemetery. In this case, the burials sites for George's wife and children were researched. Most were found to be buried in Maple Ridge Baptist Church Cemetery where the family attended church in Union County. Later, descendants who still attend the church confirmed that George was buried there also.

You may have relied heavily on clues on a death certificate to determine the names of your ancestor's parent's and birthplace. Be careful accepting this information on a death certificate as factual without any other documentation. If the names or birthplaces given are incorrect, you may find yourself on a wild goose chase.

Records that can verify secondary information such as parent's names on a death certificate include:

•       birth records

•       marriage records

•       death records

•       military records

•       probate/wills

Before you etch any details, you discover on records in the annals of history, be sure to provide your analysis of the accuracy of the information and other forms of proof. Do not give up. You do not know what you can uncover. Read my book, My Best Genealogy Tips: Quick Keys to Research Ancestry Book 2.

Question about Oral History Answered Using a .WAV File

Captured from the book My Best Genealogy Tips: Quick Keys to Research Ancestry

The key to successful audio content is clear and engaging speech. I am excited to share this audio (.wav) file I created using EmulateMe. I asked the question, "How do you do an oral history interview?" My avatar answered back:

Then, I clicked the audio button in the chat, and the .wav was created. I am putting this in the group, My Best Genealogy Tips: Quick Keys to Research Ancestry, where I will be able to post other segments of the book: My Best Genealogy Tips: Quick Keys to Research Ancestry, Book 2

The greatest point to make is that these are words that I approve of. Some of us devour books, others watch video, and still others listen to audio while performing other tasks. I can take important principles and share them using audio. Here are a few additional reasons why this feature could be beneficial:

Accessibility: Audio content can be a great help for those who have visual impairments or reading difficulties. It makes your content accessible to a wider audience. Convenience: People can listen to audio content while doing other tasks, like driving, exercising, or doing household chores. This makes it a convenient way to consume information. Personal Touch: Hearing someone’s voice can add a personal touch to the content. It can make the audience feel more connected to the speaker. Ease of Understanding: Sometimes, complex ideas can be easier to understand when they’re spoken rather than written. The use of tone and emphasis in audio can help convey the message more effectively.

Now that I have shown you how to do this and the benefits, you can get started:

- Ask me anything here

- Interact with my books

- You can also create YOUR avatar (family member, etc.)

Check out the 10% discount: Genealogy! Just Ask! Let's not forget that you can ask my avatar anything you want from the book, My Best Genealogy Tips: Quick Keys to Research Ancestry, Book 2, by going here: https://app.emulateme.ai/conversation/6578c364ad4502e933a7a428

Also, you can take 25% off the book until January 1, 2024:

How Do I Find My Ancestor’s Parent?

This is my husband's grandfather, Lawrence Royston Johnson (abt. 1870-11 April 1945), and grandmother, Louise B. Marshall Johnson (1879-1957). In 2016, we did not know their marriage date. Back then, we had to go to the ,Louisiana State Archives. There we found their marriage license:

We looked at it, and we found their parents! Lawrence's father was Lawrence Johnson, and his mother was Jemima Johnson. Louise's father was Joseph Marshall, and her mother was Josephine Marshall. We had driven from South Carolina, and this was not the only historical record we found. Stayed tuned for an upcoming blog post.

This is the ninth chapter of My Best Genealogy Tips: Quik Key to Research Ancestry:

Are you stuck in search of a few clues for locating the parents of your ancestor? The list below will help point you in the right direction. The records vary by locality and are stored in different places depending on the location. Search the Research Wiki for clues to records available. Search by the county or parish and state, and search by the topic. You can also learn about how to access records by containing these places where your ancestor lived:

 

•       library

•       archives

•       courthouse

 

Trace your ancestor on the census years when they would be living at home with their parents. You will need to know the maiden's name to identify a female ancestor. Be sure to compare other family members listed by your ancestor’s siblings to make sure certain names and birth order match.  

     The US Census is an extremely helpful tool for identifying ancestral family groups. One of the best ways to find resources to document our ancestors is by searching for each family member, especially, spouse, children, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

      The US Census was taken every ten years between 1790 and 1950. The 1890 US Census was destroyed by fire in 1921. They are released every 72 years after they are taken.

      One of the best techniques to employ would be to search out the life of each person every ten years during census years. This way you may extract enough information to reach the most likely conclusion, and you can then compare your findings with other historical documents you may find. You will find a census checklist and other helpful extraction forms at the bottom of this post.

      Since we are covering several types of records now, we will share the most useful techniques for searching the census effectively, discuss how to use the census to find more records, and identify what we can learn from each census taken. We will also cover state census records and how you can access them.

      Most African Americans were not enumerated until the 1870 US Census, however, many free or emancipated African Americans do appear on the censuses prior to 1870. You should always start searching your family line in 1950 and move back in time. When you reach the 1870 US Census, and you do not see your family any further back, you will need to identify any enslavers. You will need to research the enslaver and the family forward, and then back in time, so you will need earlier census extraction forms.

     You will discover that each different census provides several types of information. The 1900 US Census gives the month and year the individual was born. Sometimes the information on the census is not correct. For example, If the family was not home when the census taker visited, the neighbors may have provided the information that you see. The best way to make sure you do not miss a family group for any of the census years is to use census extraction forms to document your findings.  I also recommend using the ,Census Checklist at ,Family Tree Magazine, where you can download many types of useful forms in .pdf format for no charge. 

     I have had remarkable success in locating extended family and documenting ancestors by researching every member of the family group on direct and collateral lines. It is also a good practice to take notice of the families living in the surrounding area, so I always check who has listed ten houses on either side. Verify your findings using other records below.     

     Social Security Application - If your ancestor lived long enough to apply for Social Security, the names of his or her parents may be listed on the original application.

 

     Death certificate - Many times death certificates include the names of an ancestor's parents. You will need to identify this information. If you cannot find a death certificate for your ancestor, search for one on a sibling.

 

     Obituary - A newspaper obituary can provide many clues about relatives. Sometimes the names of parents are given. Some give parent’s names. Sometimes you will have the names of living family members in obituaries. Those make the best chances for oral history interviews.

 

   Wills – You can find out more about an ancestor’s family if a will exists. Wills often mention the names of family members, especially children, and spouses. Learn more about wills here: Research Wiki: United States Probate Record.

 

   Marriage record – Some marriage records mention the names of the parents. You will need to study the content of records in each locality for the period of time you are researching:

 

•       birthdate of bride and groom

•       full names of parents

•       employer

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My Best Genealogy Tips: Finding Formerly Enslaved Ancestors

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My Best Genealogy Tips: Quick Keys to Research Ancestry Book 2

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Mis Mejores Consejos de Genealogia: Como Encontrar Antepasados de Antiguos Esclavos

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Author Finds a Revolutionary Way to Engage with Genealogy Community

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/3176fe_bd7eb69146fb49e6a4943ef1387dcadd/480p/mp4/file.mp4

Robin R. Foster uses Chat with Robin to engage with her readers. She recounts the history of David Nelms (1806-?) of Anson County, North Carolina. Here she can continue the story.

By now, you have discovered how I have used Chat with Robin. I have provided you with a beginning tutorial in ,Introduce Genealogy to the Next Generation: EmulateMe and FamilySearch with my grandmother, Mrs. Otis Edna Tucker Vance (1905-1996), and I also shared my father, Robert Foster (1938-1988) in ,What If Your Father Could Talk to You or Your Grandchildren? It was wonderful to hear and see him in a video. I save the best for last. I want to introduce myself using the video above.

Engage on Social Media

If you purchased my book, My Best Genealogy Tips: Finding Formerly Enslaved Ancestors, you will notice I am telling the story of David Nelms (1806-?) of Anson County, North Carolina. I used my voice, and it imported my photo. This excites me for a lot of reasons:

I can take the story and talk about this (and the historical records) with my readers where they are on social media. I have several genealogy books. I have a group that goes with each genealogy book. The groups can learn about the historical records and where to find them I can create a URL and put it on FamilySearch's Sources. Then other people can find the principle I talk about or the person on the Family Tree. You can use this to go out on new social media. I am starting Reddit . I am taking this video to find others who want to learn about enslavement and freedom. In my Genealogy! Just Ask! community, I asked for feedback on this revolutionary Avatar. As usual, they surprised me by telling me what I had not thought of Feedback https://video.wixstatic.com/video/3176fe_777ac3f44161496fb2f018db72217e9e/480p/mp4/file.mp4

"It's important to have a connection to my roots," Robin R. Foster (Chat with Robin)

I can think of one more revolutionary change in how we do genealogy. I wrote "My Best Genealogy Tips: Finding Formerly Enslaved Ancestors," and the book is popular. I want to engage with my readers in a more personal way. With Chat with Robin, you can ask me any questions about the book.

Click on the URL: https://app.emulateme.ai/conversation/656a41ccad4502e933a3c63d Tell me how you like interacting with me.

Share Link to Chat

For those of you who want to try, here are the steps.

You just must go to the chat, and:

On the top right of the screen, you will find the button "Share," tap on it. Activate the share link button. Copy the link.

For anyone who wants to try out Chat with Robin, get 10 % off. If you have any questions, email me at: robinfoster@genealogyjustsk.com.

Shout out to the Grandmothers!!!

One thing you all will find out about me is that there are times where when I think, I (try to) write. As such, my grandmothers have been on my mind a lot lately. You see, Christmas 2023 will mark six months since my mother-in-law passed away. Why is this relevant? It is relevant because my newborn grandson recently got to take his first picture with both sets of his grandparents. As such, my thoughts turned to those grandmothers that passed away.

When my daughter took that picture of all of us, that made me think of how awesome my mother-in-law was to both my kids. The things she'd teach them, the love that she always showered upon them, and of course, all the conversations they had in general. My kids always knew their 'Bep' was there. Just talk to my kids and you can see the influence that Bep has had on them. In addition, she was excellent at relaying the family history to my wife, especially the vivid stories of her growing up. She was good to my kids (and all the rest of her grandkids), and I very much appreciate that.

Also during that picture with my grandson, my thoughts also turned to both my grandmothers. Let me start with my paternal grandmother, Doris, aka Big Mama. Though I got to know her later in life (I met her in my late 20s), she was good to me. In fact, talking to her is how I got to know a lot about my father's side of the family. She shared obituaries, pictures, and of course, stories. Some of the things she told me made my mouth drop. On the other hand, every time we talked I realized and understood the genealogical significance of what she was telling me, and I cannot express enough how appreciative I was when she accepted and got to know me. Thanks to her, I was able to research and add more branches to my Alexander & Burwell paternity.Now let's turn to my maternal grandmother, my Grandma Sweetie. In case you're wondering, Sweetie was actually her name (from Raymond, Hinds County, Mississippi). Now don't get me wrong...she was old-school Mississippi, so if you did something wrong, she let you know it! At the same time, she was good, and I mean GOOD to me. I was born in her house, so to speak, and as such I always had a close relationship with her. I talked to her about a LOT during my formative years, and she got on me when I was wrong, but always had praise when the good things happened in life, big or small. She taught me to appreciate the little things, she always gave me tidbits about being the best man I could be, and no matter how old I got, she always wanted to 'do', either for me or for my kids once they came into the world.

One of my fondest memories of my grandmother is when she would walk from her house to pick me up and walk me home from school when I was in first & second grade. I cannot tell you all how excited I was when I would walk outside and see her! It was not an easy walk...it took time for her both ways but she did it anyway. Don't get me started on when she'd buy me those Affy Tapples when I didn't have enough change to do so! She also talked to me quite a bit (unbeknowst to most of my family) during my teenage years, and I have no issue saying if not for her, I do not know how I would have turned out.

When I became an adult, she continued to be there for both me and my wife. She absolutely loved my wife, and likewise my wife loved her. When I found out the truth about my paternity and started asking questions, I still remember her saying this: "boy, let them sleeping dogs lie!" Even when I started asking questions about her side of the family, she was not open to my digging into her family, but I am so thankful that one day when I went to see her that she gave me this name: Jeff Davis Hubbard. That name may sound random, but it turns out that Mr. Jefferson Davis Hubbard was my grandmother's granduncle (my great-great granduncle). Thanks to her remembering his name, the genealogical floodgates opened and I found a whole new branch, the Hubbards (also of Hinds County, Mississippi).

Then, on another visit, Grandma Sweetie asked me to check and see if we had any indigenous ancestry. Her rationale was that she was always told we had indigenous roots and wanted to know if I could find them. I researched this pretty hard, and what I found was not indigenous ancestry, but my being able to trace her Bracey name back to the late 1700s/early 1800s Hinds County, Mississippi to two Bracey brothers who both were enslavers. I was able to ascertain that this was the same Bracey family who enslaved my ancestors in Virginia before emigrating to Mississippi. Though Grandma was mildly surprised once I gave her the news, she did say that I did answer some questions she had all her life and acknowledged that some things she had been told in her life were incorrect. If nothing else, I am extremely proud that I was able to give Grandma answers that she was not necessarily seeking, but was happy to know the facts.

All in all, here I wanted to show love to the Grandmas that have passed away, and show what a repository of information grandparents can be if you pay attention. They not only were good grandmothers in their own way, but they all contributed to the family tree on both mine and my wife's side of the family. Now that I am a grandparent, it's my job to pass on these names, stories, and histories to my grandchildren. I only hope that I can give to my grandchildren what Bep has given to my children, and what Sweetie and Big Mama have given to me.

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My Best Genealogy Tips: Finding Formerly Enslaved Ancestors

When I wrote "My Best Genealogy Tips: Finding Formerly Enslaved Ancestors," I used a wide range of records. I went to where the records were in public libraries, university libraries, historical societies, courthouses, and online. I was able to

use my oral history given by ancestors who have passed away to guide me to these records.

My Best Genealogy Tips: It's Time to Start!

Written for the beginner, ,"My Best Genealogy Tips: It is Time to Start!" is one of those family history books that you will even find someone who has been researching for years will pick up this book. This book will teach you the basics of family history that you may not have been taught before.

My Best Genealogy Tips: Quick Keys to Research Ancestry

I love family history. I assist beginners and researchers who feel they need to start over. This is the second book. I have added the principles from the first book and added a ton more. Become proficient with the Research Wiki where you look for resources that match where your ancestors lived. I have answered thousands of questions from researchers around the globe. My Best Genealogy Tips: Quick Keys to Research Ancestry

,,Mis Mejores Consejos de Genealogia: Como Encontrar Antepasados de Antiguos Esclavos

Comparto con ustedes algunas de las historias de mi familia y les explico cómo me condujeron a la documentación histórica que identificaba a mis antepasados que habían sido esclavos. Me seguirán a través de los registros de Alabama, Luisiana, Mississippi, Carolina del Norte y Carolina del Sur. Mis Mejores Consejos de Genealogia: Como Encontrar Antepasados de Antiguos Esclavos

What If Your Father Could Talk to You or Your Grandchildren?

I want my grandchildren to know what my father, Robert Foster (1938-1988), was like.

I have a few photos, but I have no voice.

I have some things he wrote.

His family tree is at FamilySearch.

My grandchildren know what I have told them, but that is not enough. He was important to me. He taught me to treat everybody right. "What goes around comes around." That means, "Treat everybody right. You never know who is going to have to pick you up off the street one day," said Bob Foster.

Well, guess what happened last week? I found a company named EmulateMe. I wrote about this in the last post. I learned how to make a chat, video, and audio. You can create your realistic emulation.

My emulation of him is so incredible!

Here is the first one of my father that I created: (telling about his birth) https://app.emulateme.ai/share/656a22b6ad4502e933a3ba75

Video:

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/3176fe_8f8319480cf5440f8d8ec10b8330c2b3/144p/mp4/file.mp4

What lessons about life he wanted to pass on: https://app.emulateme.ai/share/656a3243ad4502e933a3bd67

Video:

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/3176fe_09b50bf72fd349ae88514544a0255239/144p/mp4/file.mp4

What he wanted me (Robin) to do: https://app.emulateme.ai/share/656e3f81ad4502e933a56e86

Video:

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/3176fe_8193292a23c249be8b362d384609ecc4/144p/mp4/file.mp4

I love EmulateMe because I can have my grandchildren chat with my father. It is the best emulation of him. In my Genealogy! Just Ask! Facebook Group, you can get 10% off. Try it today! Let me know what you think, and if you have any doubts, just ask me: robinfoster@genealogyjustask.com

Looking Back on Fairview Cemetery in Greenwood, South Carolina

"This is the cemetery that Beverly Vance (1832-1899), my great great grandfather, might have been buried in. I have a 2nd great-grandmother, Jane Smith Johnson McCoy (1834-1919) has a grave here. I always said that when we were cleaning up the cemetery and people were concerned about it staying clean, "Let's find all of the graves and make a record on Find A Grave. At least people can find their ancestors that way." I was right. They even email me today to get an obituary. As I look back, I could not have kept the cemetery clean: Fairview Cemetery. We started with around 70 graves and added 800. Below is the history of when we were cleaning Fairview Cemetery in 2014." -- Robin R. Foster

(Most URLs are being worked on. They lead to Fairview Cemetery )

The first known documented owner of Fairview Cemetery, J. S. Wah ( purchased a parcel of land in 1919 on which Fairview Cemetery is situated.  Until Adopt-A-Cemetery volunteers uncovered headstones and death certificates documenting burials before 1919, it was believed that Fairview Cemetery did not exist until J. S. Wah's purchase in 1919. I found out that used to be Sodom Cemetery.

Some parts of Fairview Cemetery were divided into cemetery lots by Wah and sold.  These deeds are on file and indexed at the Greenwood County Clerk of Court.  One such family plot (Percival) is clearly visible on the front right side of the cemetery.  Undertaker, James T. Percival (1882-1937) and son, Dr. Theo. Percival are interred at Fairview.

Earliest Known Burials

The earliest burials documented in Fairview Cemetery are:

Unknown (June 14, 1897) Georgianna Walker  (January 18, 1827-January 3, 1909) Lewis Romans  (d. December 3, 1909) Delia Bibbs (d. 1911) Sarah Romans  (June 5, 1911) Charity Sullivan  (1854-1911)

Prominent people or connections:

The parents, grandparents, and siblings of South Carolina Senator, Frank Gilbert are buried in Fairview. 

If a headstone had not existed for them when headstones were documented in April 2014, we would have no other record of them.  Death certificates do not exist for anyone who died before the time they were recorded in 1915, and we have yet to find funeral home records before 1922.  Documented BurialsAll documented burials for Fairview Cemetery are being added to Find A Grave  Record types that we have researched including death certificates and Blyth Funeral Home records.  A significant number of obituaries of people interred in Fairview Cemetery were published in the Greenwood Index-Journal.  Check out Obituaries Documenting Fariview Burials

Grandparents

Charlotte Vance Johnson (1860-1936)

Jane Smith Johnson McCoy (my 2nd great-grandmother)

Rev. George W. Gilbert (d. Nov 1925)

Parents

Essie Johnson Gilbert (1895-1962)

Siblings

McKinley Gilbert  (1929-1930)

Addison Gilbert  (1926-1959)

Charles J. Gilbert  (1933-1933)

Roscoe Gilbert   (1924-1935)

Military Veterans

James Nelson Adams

James H. Backus

Ernest Beaty

James E. Burnett

Emsey C. Boozer

Hazel Childs

Horace Davis

Seymore Davis

John Griffin

Frank McGhee

John Misher

Phillip Mitchell

William Nedwood

Obie Paige

Thomas L . Puckett

Clarence E. Ray

Willie Ray

Bennie Reynolds

See

Military Veterans Beneath the

Overgrowth in Fairview Cemetery

Masons,,Rev. L. S. Burnett,,Ernest Burton,,Rev. G. W. Gilbert,Louis WhiteMinisters,,Rev. E. H. Bibbs ,,Rev. Elisha R. Burgess,,Rev. L. S. Burnett,,Rev. G. W. Gilbert,,Rev. John Charles Goode,,Rev. J. F. Jackson,,Rev, David Timothy MacDaniel,,Rev. Randolph McGhee,,Rev. J. W. Perrin,,Rev. Robert Perrin,,Rev. John Smith,,Rev. James. M. Walker,,Rev. John H. WalkerOwnersA search is to determine the previous owners (before 1919) of the 14 1/2 parcel of land on which Fairview Cemetery is situated.  With documented burials before 1919, it stands to reason that Fairview Cemetery existed as a burial ground before the ownership of J. S. Wah.

According to the probate record for J. S. Wah, ownership of Fairview Cemetery passed to his stepson, Frank Edward Arnold, son of Janie Arnold Wah:

"It is my will, and I do hereby give, devise, and bequeath unto my beloved stepson, Frank Arnold, all of my property of which I may die seized and possessed, be it real, personal or mixed, and unto him, the said Frank Arnold, absolutely and forever." 

(J. S. Wah will (1946); Greenwood County Probate Records; Box 368, Package 14, Greenwood County Courthouse, Greenwood.)

Frank E. Arnold, stepson of J. S. Wah, died one day after an auto accident on May 27, 1953. He left property on Hackett Street to his children and all remaining property to his wife, Louise Norman Arnold.  No will for Louise Norman Arnold has been found, however, ownership of the cemetery would have passed to her heirs unless she left a will stating otherwise.

So far, it has not been determined that a church is or was ever affiliated with Fairview, however, people buried in Fairview Cemetery were members of the following churches according to historical documentation:Funeral HomesThe following funeral homes were documented as having internments in Fairview:Biggs-ThackstonBlythParks Funeral HomePercival-TompkinsRobinson & SonsSpotlight: Rev. David Timothy MacDaniel (1886-1916)

We started with only the headstone of Rev. David Timothy MacDaniel (1886-1916).  It led to the discovery of his death certificate and probate record where we learned his wife's name, Katie.  Check back to see what more we uncover.

Death certificate for Rev. MacDaniel:

image 883 of 1639; citing Department of Archives and History, State Records Center, Columbia." >

Probate record for Rev. MacDaniel:

This probate record for Rev. David Timothy MacDaniel is on file at the Greenwood County Probate Office.  We learned the first name of Rev. MacDaniel's wife from this record.