Leaves & Branches: October 2016

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

You are the Best Author

"You are the best author of your own future. So, the next time you sit down to write your own story, remember that you are the creator of the best chapters that could ever be written. "

Catherine Pulsifer

Time to Write: First Copy of My Book

Troy Book Makers has sent me the first copy of my book, Remembrances!

If you have been

following my blog posts about this long process of writing, formatting, editing and printing you may be as excited as I am. Last month I went to Troy Book Makers with a digital copy of my book and signed a contract with them to print my book. Emails between us followed, mostly concerned with cover art. I have photos from my trip to Ireland in 2012 and thought one of those photos might work for the cover. However that was not a possibility. Photos were emailed to me as possible alternatives. There were photos of Ireland but I decided to go with a photograph of a beautiful tree, to symbolize our family tree. My first book, also printed through Troy Book Makers, has a large tree on the cover. I like that they are similar and yet each is unique.

Then I waited and watched my little country mailbox.

When I pulled open my mailbox and saw the brown package I was both thrilled and scared. What if I didn’t like the cover or the feel of the pages? What if there were too many items that needed changing? I have been working on this book, in one form or another, for many years. Was all that work leading to an attractive, well organized, clearly explained family history - - or not?

I don’t think I was breathing as I cut through the tape, opened the box and pulled out my book. I stroked the cover, rifled the pages and started to smile. I am very happy with the results!

Of course, the purpose of this single copy is to allow me one more chance to edit. The work is not over. I have read it over and found about a dozen small errors. I stuck bright yellow sticky notes on pages. Half of those relate to photo captions. The biggest change concerns two family tree charts that I’d like to reformat. I have to keep in mind that most of the people who will read this book are not familiar with family tree charts. I want the charts to be easy for them to understand, with generational labels. Back to work.

Once those changes have been made I will make an appointment with Troy Book Makers. They are only a few minutes away. I’ll take a new digital copy. Then I must sign a ‘PDF Proof Approval’ form that gives me these choices:

OK to print AS IS

OK to print with CORRECTIONS (I will send new files)

Please provide a REVISED PROOF for approval

Then I will wait for my book to print with multiple copies. There should still be plenty of time for it to be ready for Christmas. When I get the call that the books are ready for me to pick up I’ll let you know.

Census Sunday: Fortenberry in LA & MS

William Jackson Fortenberry

5 Dec 1853 MS – 3 Mar 1928 MS

Canolia A. Simmons

12 Aug 1858 MS – 7 Feb 1925 MS

I have many Fortenberry/Fortinberry family members in my tree, including more than a dozen Williams. That makes it a bit tricky to tell them apart when I find a William Fortenberry in a record. Of course, dates help to sort them out but not completely. Thankfully, William Jackson Fortenberry married a woman with an unusual name, Canolia. I have not seen this name anywhere else. Her name made it easier to be sure I had the correct census reports.

1900 US Census, MS, Pike; SD 7, ED 104, Sheet 21; ancestry.com.

William Fortenberry, 46 b Dec 1853 MS; farmer; married 1877

Canolia E., 42 b Aug 1858 MS; m other of 12/ 11 living

Lilia P, 21 b Feb 1879 MS; teacher

Andrew J., 29 b Aug 1880 MS; farming

Myrtis J., 18 b Apr 1882 MS; at school

Sarah L., 14 b Sep 1885 MS

Furman E., 13 b June 1886 MS; farm laborer

Urial V., 12 b Mch 1888 MS; farm laborer

Burrel S., 9 b July 1890 MS; farm laborer

Mittie T., 5 b July 1894 MS; at school

Henry G., 3 b Sept 1896 MS

Charley L., 2 b July 1898 MS

Jossie L., 8/12 b Nov 1899 MS

1910 US Census, LA, Tangipahoa, Ward 1; Railroad Avenue; ancestry.com.

William J Fortenberry, 55 b MS; hotel keeper

Canolia A., 55 b MS; hotel housekeeper

Andrew J., 30 b MS, son; physician general practice

Victoria, 26 b MS; daughter in law

Sheldon, 3 b MS; grandson

Sarah, 24 b MS, daughter; teacher

Victor E., 22 b MS, son; salesman pharmacy

Mittie Lee, 16 b MS, daughter

Henry Glenn, 14 b MS, son

Charles L., 12 b MS, son

Jimmie Wanzil, 7 b MS, daughter

+servant & several boarders

1920 US Census, MS, Pike, Beat I; Simmonsville; ED 99, SD 7; ancestry.com.

W J Fortenberry, 66 b MS; farmer

Nola, 61 b MS

Victor, 32 b MS; farm manager

Sheldon, 30 b MS, partner in farm

Glen, 23 b MS; partner in farm

Lane, 21 b MS; partner in farm

Wanzie, 16 b MS

Lena Varnado, 21 b MS, servant

Vintage Photograph: Arlie Pierce

Arlie Pierce

1898 MS - 1993 LA

son of Ed & Alice Pierce

husband of Lyda Mearl Brown, my grand aunt

I welcome more information about Arlie Pierce.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Alford Land Grants in New Kent, Virginia

Using the online database from the Library of Virginia I have been able to find land grants associated with some of my Virginia ancestors. Because these ancestors lived in the 1600s & 1700s it can be difficult to find records of their lives. Land grants help to give a time and location to their lives.

Using the Library of Virginia/Online Catalog/Land Office Grant search box I put in the Alford surname without a first name, clicked the search button and several Alfords showed up. I wish I could connect them all to my family. I am confident in this finding.

John Alford

c 1645 VA – 1710 New Kent, VA

My 7^th great grandfather

I found two land grants for John.

1. On 20 April 1682 in New Kent Co., VA

“410 acres on the south side of York River beg. g&c, a corner tree of a dividend of land formerly surveyed and patented by Colo. Hammon, standing in the Slashes of Coshockahick.”

Land Office patents No. 7, 1679 – 1689 (vol. 1 & 2, p. 1 – 719) p. 131 (reel 7); Part of the index to the recorded copies of patents for land issued by the Secretary of the Colony.

2. On 22 October 1682 in New Kent Co., VA

“150 acres on the south side of York River and is reputed Colo. Hammonds land called by the name Nantacooke Neck.”

Land Office patents No. 7, 1679 – 1689 (vol. 1 & 2, p. 1 – 719) p. 179 (reel 7); Part of the index to the recorded copies of patents for land issued by the Secretary of the Colony.

I love the sounds of the places the Alfords lived like ‘the Slashes of Coshockahick’ and the ‘Nantaccooke Neck”.

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