Book Report: Cemetery Records in Louisiana

Magee, Zuma F., and Thelma S. Bateman. 

Cemetery Records - Louisiana. Volume III. 

Franklinton, Louisiana: Privately printed, 1966.Smith Cemetery. From the Washington Parish Library, Franklinton, LA.

I found this book in the Franklinton Library, LA. It’s more of a report, actually, typed pages in thick folder. It lists several cemeteries in Louisiana, where some of my families settled and were laid to rest. This is exactly the kind of resource I like to uncover because it cannot be accessed by internet. You have to visit the library to read the data inside.

 Several of my family’s surnames were included. I found these names that match with my records:

Smith Cemetery, pages 6 - 8

W L Smith                           13 Sept 1853  21 Apr 1930

Emma J Warren                  27 Nov 1858   9 Oct 1932     w/o W L Smith

Bertha Jane Smith              2 Jan 1878     24 June 1898 d/o W L & E J Smith

Spurgeon Ira Smith             12 Mar 1892   2 Oct 1893     s/o W L & E J Smith

Willie Edgar Smith              6 July 1879    11 Mar 1893   s/o W L & E J Smith

Alford Cemetery, page 25

Rev N E Alford                    15 Oct 1845   28 July 1937

Mary L Stafford                  7 Sept 1850   9 July 1902    [w/o N E Alford]

Frances Dora Alford            29 Oct 1869   17 Nov 1889   d/o Rev N E & M L Alford

Thomas L Alford                 12 Sept 1873  12 Apr 1917   [s/o Rev N E & M L Alford]

Sallie McGruda Alford         23 Jan 1878   28 Nov 1925   w/o T L Alford

H Lucious Alford                10 June 1884 4 June 1949   [s/o Rev N E & M L Alford] 

Alford Cemetery, page 26

Seaborn Alford                   19 May 1844  22 Nov 1919   Pvt. Co A & K La. Cav. C S A

Laura A Ellzey                     25 Apr 1844   19 Mar 1903   w/o S L Alford

Page 27

J S Alford                          11 Oct 1807   15 Nov 1897   [John Seaborn Alford]

Margaret                           9 Feb 1819    8 Sept 1885   w/o J S Alford

Mt Hermon Cemetery, page 69

Ira P Alford                        24 Jan 1822   15 Sept 1901

Laura C. Fortenberry         22 Apr 1866   19 June 1901 w/o W E Fortenberry; 

                                          d/o Rev E M & L E Schilling

Genealogy Travel: Louisiana - Part 3 -The Franklinton Library

New Orleans is a marvelous city with much to see & do. On Saturday my husband set out for his second day of activities at the convention center. I was tempted to enjoy the city’s sites: The French Market, the Mississippi River, the French Quarter,… However, I stuck to my plan and headed out in the rental car for my second day of research.

I was hoping to learn more about these surnames: Alford, Brumfield, Brown, Ott & Smith.

I went to the

Franklinton Library, 825 Free Street, Franklinton, LA.

Once again I left the warehouse district and headed to I 10 West. Soon I was driving on the Causeway and crossing Lake Pontchartrain, the largest inland body of water in Louisiana which spans 610 square miles. The Causeway holds the title for the longest bridge over water at 23 miles long. I been across before and was looking forward to the beautiful views. However, the gray sky and the gray lake blended together and only the other cars broke the monotony of drive across the lake.

Finding the Library was easy. I arrived soon after it opened. The Saturday hours were 9:00 am – 2:00 pm.

There were two very nice librarians who helped me out. When I told the first librarian that I was hoping to do genealogy research she quickly handed me a small binder and a scrap of paper. She explained that all their resources are listed in the binder. All I had to do was list the items I’d like to see and they would get the materials for me.

I spread my things out on a nice large table and quickly started listing the numbers associated with Washington County books.

As with my stop at the Louisiana Archives the day before, my first priority was to find family histories already written about our families. Next I was looking for local resources like cemetery, marriage, church records. I was also hoping for local histories. I made notes and soon had books and folders piled on the table.

These are the books that looked the most promising:

Alford, Gilbert K. Alford Ancestors and Descendants; Jacob Alford. Draft Edition. Missouri: Privately printed, 1986.

Carter, Hon. Prentiss. History of Washington Parish: As Compiled from the Records & Traditions.

Creel, Bevin J. A Patriot's Legacy: The Family of Richard Dillon and Ann Lawrence from Bertie County, North Carolina to Southern Mississippi and Louisiana. Franklinton, Louisiana: Privately printed, 2002. [I have read portions of this book online and was excited to see it in print.]

Magee, Judieth A. Lineage & Descendants of John Edgar Dillon, 1877 - 1958. Franklinton, Louisiana: Privately printed,

Magee, Zuma F., and Thelma S. Bateman. Cemetery Records - Louisiana. Volume III. Franklinton, Louisiana: Privately printed, 1966.

Magee, Zuma Fendlason. Source Records from Pike County, Mississippi 1798 - 1910 and Misc. Legal and Family Records Pertaining to the Areas of Pike and Walthall Counties, MS. I. Franklinton, Louisiana: Privately printed, 1976.

Magee, Zuma Fendlason. Source Records from Pike County, Mississippi 1798 - 1910 and Misc. Legal and Family Records Pertaining to the Areas of Pike and Walthall Counties, MS. II. Franklinton, Louisiana: Privately printed, 1976.

Magee, Zuma, and Dixie S. Moss. Washington Parish Cemetery Records. IV. Franklinton, Louisiana: Privately printed, 1980.

Murray, Nicholas Russell. Amite County Mississippi Marriage Records 1810 - 1899. Hammond, Louisiana: Hunting for Bears.

Murray, Nicholas Russell. Pike County Mississippi Marriage Records 1882 - 1899. Hammond, Louisiana: Hunting for Bears.

Murray, Nicholas Russell. Washington Parish Mississippi Marriage Records 1897 - 1919. Hammond, Louisiana: Hunting for Bears.

Randolph, Ruth Brumfield, and Nell Brumfield Jacobs Smith. Brumfields Revisited: Ancestors and Descendants of George Y. and Martha Penny Brumfield. Privately printed, 1995.

Wallis, Ruth Ott. Descendants of Jacob Ott of South Carolina and Louisiana. Privately printed.

Williams, E. Russ. History of Washington Parish, Louisiana 1798 - 1992. I. Monroe, Louisiana: Williams Genealogical and Historical Publications, 1994.

Unfortunately, some items were missing from the library. It was upsetting to know that people walk off with these unique volumes. Left at the library many people can access the information but when one person decides to take a folder or book we all lose.

One of the librarians suggested I use my digital camera to copy the pages I wanted to save rather than use the photocopier. That worked quite well and was faster than using the photocopy machine. I photographed as many pages as I was able. It wasn't long until the librarian announced that the library was closing in ten minutes.

Watch my blog for an analysis of my findings at the Franklinton Library.

Related Posts:

• Travel Tuesday - Louisiana Part 1 - Help Wanted
• Travel Tuesday - Louisiana Part 2 - The LA Archives

Ivy R Mark Brown; My Grandma

Here is my paternal grandmother, Ivy R (Mark) Brown. She was the mother of 7 children & grandmother of 20. She loved flowers and collected milk glass vases & bowls.

Ivy Regina (Mark) Brown

8 June 1908 OH – 18 Sept 2003 NY

My Paternal Grandmother

Ivy was one of 7 children of Thomas K Mark & N Regina V Gruissy. Ivy was born in Medina Co., OH.[1] In 1910 her father was a farmer on a general farm. Her mother was the mother of 3 daughters. Ivy was the youngest.[2]

Ivy told me that she had many chores when she was a girl. "I had chores. When I was seven I took TB. I was supposed to stay out of doors as much as possible. I got the job of carrying in wood, carrying out ashes, feeding the chickens, anything to keep me outside. They gave me a tonic. I took gallons of it.  I really spent hours outdoors." Ivy told me about the one room school house where she shared a bench and a desk with another little girl. She was often ill with repeated sore throats and ear aches that cause her to miss many days of school.[3]

Ivy's Mom had a cousin who lived in Rittman whose daughter was having a baby and needed someone to help out. Since it was summer vacation and there was no school Ivy was sent to lend a hand. Roy J. Brown was a roomer at the boarding house where Ivy was helping out. He had traveled up from Mississippi by train in search of a job and had found a position as a wheel wright at the paper mill. That is how Ivy and her future husband met.[4]

On 2 August 1927 Ivy married Roy Jessie Brown, son of Jasper Pascal Brown & Rose Ella Brumfield.[5] They were married in the parlor of Ivy’s parents’ house. Nineteen year old Ivy wore a simple white dress but had no veil or flowers. A friend played the Wedding March on the piano while Ivy and Roy stood in the parlor and became husband and wife. Her mother, Regina, cooked a big dinner for the family to enjoy after the brief ceremony. After dinner Ivy and Roy went to his apartment in Rittman where they began their life together.[6]

My father, Delbert K Brown was born 27 July 1928 at their home on Grant Street in Rittman. He would be the oldest of seven children: Leo, Genevieve, Jeanette, Larry, Robert & William. The youngest child was born in NY, after the family had moved to Columbia Co., NY.

The 1930 U. S. Census shows Roy and Ivy Brown in Rittman, Ohio with one child, a son named Delbert. Roy was a “Mill Right.”[7]

During the Depression Ivy had a big garden to help feed her family. My grandmother told me, “You could buy a bushel basket of green beans for a dollar. And you could buy peaches for a dollar and tomatoes and things like that. I canned everything I could. Everybody was doing it so you couldn’t find any quart jars. You could find gallons if you were lucky. That’s what we did.” She also took boarders into their house. Ivy said, “I had eight boarders and three roomers and three little kids.” She explained that, “A boarder just eats there and a roomer just has a room there. Some of them had both and some of them just had one.” A boarder paid seven dollars a week to eat at her house. A roomer paid three dollars a week to sleep there.[8] My uncle, Leo Brown, said that some of the boarders were relatives. He said, “Some of them were Browns and other family members from Mississippi who came up to try and find work.” [9]

In 1941 Roy J. Brown moved his family to Columbia Co., NY where he worked for two mills. One was the Midvale Paper Mill in Rossman. In Midvale he was a master mechanic in charge of repairs for the entire paper mill with a staff of eight men. Leo Brown said his father “did some blacksmithing things working at the mills.” He was the operational manager. The other was a mill in Stockport, locally known as the String Mill.[10] 

1945 Ivy Mark Brown with her seven children

My memories of my Grandmother include visiting her house in Chatham. I remember Grandma cooking dinner for our family there. Once I spent the night. I had stayed with my maternal grandmother many times. We were often together. But this overnight with my paternal grandmother was a onetime event. I remember playing in the little front yard during that stay. I was very interested in the sidewalk that went by her house. That was not something we had at home. Inside her house, I explored a small closet off the living room. In the bottom of the closet I found old comic books. Grandma said they had once belonged to my father. They were Pogo Possum Comics from the 1940’s and they were funny.  I sat on the floor with the closet door open and read through those same comics my father had once enjoyed. My cousins remember learning about plants and working in our grandmother’s gardens.

An undated newspaper clipping from the Hudson Register Star gives an obituary for my grandmother.

 "Ivy R. Brown, Homemaker.  Kinderhook - Ivy R. Brown, 95, of Kinderhook, died Thursday, Sept. 18, 2003, in the Northern Dutchess Hospital, Rhinebeck. Born June 8, 1908 in Ohio, she was the daughter of the late Thomas K. and the late Nancy Regina Gruissy Mark and the wife of the late Roy J. Brown, who died in 1956.  Mrs. Brown was a homemaker. She moved to Rossman, in the area of Columbiaville, from Rittman, Ohio in 1941. Survivors include a daughter, Genevieve Wieland of Latham; four sons, Leo D. Brown of Stuyvesant Falls, Larry Brown of Livingston, Robert Brown of Valatie and William Brown of Kinderhook; two sisters, Wava Brown of Ohio and Viola Nothstein of Florida; several grandchildren; and great-grandchildren. Beside her parents and husband, she was also predeceased by a daughter, Jeanette Wager, a son, Delbert Brown; and two sisters, Isabell Esther Nee and Vera Ballard. There will be no calling hours. Funeral services will be at the convenience of the family. Arrangements are with the Raymond E. Bond Funeral Home, Route 9, Valatie."

Ivy, born in 1908, lived to see the new century, the new millennium. She lived from the administration of President Theodore Roosevelt to President George W. Bush. She went from the Ford Model T to cars that run on alternative fuels. She was born in a time when news was learned from listening to the radio to a time when computers and the internet gave that information. She lived through two World Wars. Three of her sons served in the military and came home safely. She outlived two of her children, Jeanette and Delbert. Ivy saw many changes in the world and in her family as she changed from a young woman to a mother of seven children, a grandmother of twenty children, and a great grandmother to more than thirty.

Related Posts:

• 52 Weeks; Week #1; Roy J Brown
• An Enduring Birthday Gift

This prompt comes from Amy Johnson Crow at her blog, No Story Too Small. She suggests we “write once a week about a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, a research problem — any that focuses on that one ancestor.” Thanks, Amy for the suggestion!

---

[1] Birth Record for Ivy Regina Mark, 8 June 1908, Volume 3, Record #115, Medina County Probate Court, Ohio.

[2] 1910 U. S. Census, Medina Co., Ohio; 7 May 1910; E. D. 144, Family #237; ; Federal Archives, Pittsfield, Mass., T1272 Roll M620 (Soundex) and T624 Roll 1205 (Report); NOTES: Thomas K. Mark and family in Westfield Twp. OH.

[3] Interview with Ivy Regina Mark Brow; conducted by Colleen G. Pasquale, September 1993, in Germantown, NY.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Marriage License & Certificate; 1927; State of Ohio, Medina County; 2534; NOTES: Roy J. Brown and Ivy R. Mark, Married on 2 Aug 1927.

[6] Interview with Ivy Regina Mark Brown; conducted by Colleen G. Pasquale, July 1994, in Germantown, NY.

[7] 1930 United States Census, Rittman, Wayne County, Ohio, Roll 1888, Page 28A. ED 23.  Roy J. Brown and family.

[8] “Interviews with Ivy R. (Mark) Brown”.

[9] “Interviews with Leo Dwight Brown”.

[10] “Interviews with Leo Dwight Brown”.

Forget Me Not: Arthur D. Alford of Pike, MS

‘Arthur Alford Funeral Rites held Wednesday’

"Funeral services for Arthur D. Alford, 78, of the Silver Springs Community, were conducted Wednesday at 11 a. m. from the Silver Creek Baptist church with the rev. Joe Lovelady officiating. Mr. Alford died Tuesday at the home of a brother, Martin Alford, where he resided. He was an invalid and suffered for years from a crippling affliction. 

Pallbearers for the funeral included his nephews: Dalton Alford, Floyd Alford, Harold Alford, Ray Earl Barnes, Maurice Alford and Brown Ellzey. He was born September 17, 1880, in old Pike County, a son of Needham Alford and Laura Brumfield Alford. He had resided with his brother for the past 12 years.

 Interment was in Silver Creek Cemetery with Ginn in charge of funeral arrangements. Survivors include two brothers, Martin E. Alford of Osyka, and Otis Alford, Tylertown. He was also survived by a sister, Mrs. Fanny Stewart of Tylertown."

From: Magee, Zuma Fendlason. Selected Obituaries from Louisiana (Washington & Tangipahoa Parishes) and from Mississippi (Pike, Walthall & Marion Counties). Volume I. Franklinton, Louisiana: Privately printed, 1976. From Franklinton Library, LA.

Book Report: Abstracts of Obituaries in LA & MS

Williams, E. Russ. Abstracts of Obituaries from the Minutes of the Magee's Creek Baptist Association (Mississippi and Louisiana), 1882 - 1924. Monroe, Louisiana: Privately printed, 1978.

During my visit to the Louisiana Archives in Baton Rogue I was able to leaf through a very useful book. I went straight to the index, found my surnames & headed to the photocopy machine. Once back home I was able to analyze my findings and found many of family members in the pages, especially Alford, Brumfield, Fortenberry & Smith surnames.

I enjoyed the language of the church records such as: She ‘was called from earth to heaven.’ And ‘He never turned one empty from the door, nor looked unpityingly upon the forms of suffering and sorrow around him; his heart yearned for the desolate, wept for the unfortunate, and his means were the property of the needy.’ The language reflects the thoughts of the times.

Most of the obituaries include this information:

• Name
• Birth Date & sometimes location
• Death Date
• Church membership
• Name of Spouse & occasionally a marriage date

Here are some of the family names I found in this interesting book:

Jesse B. Alford 1855 – 1909
Margaret Alford 1819 – 1885 wife of John S. Alford

Cinderella Brumfield c1820 -1884 wife of J. W. Brumfield
Cinthia Brumfield 1804 – 1884 wife of Davis Brumfield
Elizabeth Brumfield 1808 – 1890 wife of Isaac Brumfield
J. A. Brumfield 1838 – 1914
John W. Brumfield 1811 - 1899 husband of Cinderella Lamer
Josiah Brumfield 1827 – 1897
Lula Brumfield 1878 – 1909 wife of H. J. Brumfield
Willis N. Brumfield 1834 – 1895 husband of Nancy E. Haley

Ibbey Fortenberry 1812 – 1886 daughter of William Fortenberry
Narcissa Fortenberry 1813 – 1800 wife of C. R. Fortenberry

Martha J. Sims 1863 – 1900 wife of John K. Fortenberry

Martha Simmons 1846 – 1885 daughter of John S. Alford

Calvin Smith 1812 – 1881 father of J. W. Smith
Eliza J. Smith - 1899 wife of J. C. Smith
Irine Bankston Smith 1859 – 1914 wife of Wyatt R. Smith
Jeremiah Smith 1821 – 1894 husband of Pernesa Smith
Lucrettie Smith 1825 – 1896 wife of W. D. Smith
Pernesa Smith 1820 – 1887 wife of Jeremiah Smith
Seletia E. Smith 1850 – 1902 wife of W. L. Smith
W. D. Smith 1818 – 1906

I’d like to return to the archives to browse through this book again. I’m sure I’d discover more family members in its pages. If you have the opportunity to read this and you have family in the area, you’ll be glad Mr. Williams assembled this information.

Related Posts:

• Travel Tuesday - LA Archives

Roy Jessie Brown; Mill Worker

Here is my paternal grandfather, Roy Jesse Brown. He died when I was a toddler so I must rely on family members to learn what type of person he was. 

Roy Jessie Brown 

8 March 1902 MS – 12 May 1956 MS 

My Paternal Grandfather 

The Roy J Brown family

Roy was one of 9 children of Jasper Pascal Brown & Rose Ella Brumfield. He was born in Osyka, Pike, MS. In 1910 his father was a farmer on a ‘home farm.’ His mother was the mother of 9 children, all of whom grew to adulthood. Roy was just 8 years old that year.[1]

Roy and his siblings went to school in Pike Co., MS. We know he went to school until he was 17.[2]

In 1920 Jasper, Rose and children were in the Simmonsville Precinct of Pike Co., MS. Jasper owned his farm. Four children were still living at home: Hubert, Roy, Mildred & Thelma. Both sons worked on the farm with their father.[3]

Roy’s first wife was Mary Thelma Ellzey, daughter of William S. Ellzey & Amanda Adarene Fortenberry. Their daughter was Sylvia Rayleen Brown, b 20 Mar 1921 in Washington Parish, LA. This marriage did not last. They were divorced in December 1925. 

Family stories tell us Roy hopped on a train and headed north. He got off in Ohio where there was a job available in a paper mill. Roy found a place to stay in a boarding house. He met Ivy Regina Mark, daughter of Thomas K. Mark & N. Regina V. Gruissy. Roy & Ivy were married 2 August 1927 in Seville, OH.[4] My grandmother (Ivy) told me they were married in her parents’ parlor. She said they just stood up and were married. She was just 19 years old. Roy was a 25 year old mill wright. Like his father, Roy was handy with tools and machinery. 

My father was their oldest child. Delbert K. Brown was born 27 July 1928 in Rittman, OH.[5] He would become the oldest of 7 children: Leo, Genevieve, Jeanette, Larry, Robert & William. In 1930 Roy was still a mill wright, working and living in Rittman, Wayne, OH. My Dad was just a year old.[6]

Roy worked for Ohio Boxboard. In Arise Wild Land by Lindsey Williams, the author writes that the Ohio Boxboard developed the square ‘kitchen match’ box and the round salt box. It produced corrugated boxboard shipping containers. When it opened in 1904 one machine was over 200 feet long and the entire plant ran by electricity of 15,000 horsepower.[7] During the Great Depression Roy was one of many men who did not keep their jobs. According to his son, Leo D. Brown, Roy worked in the Ohio Boxboard but work got slow, “and the mill was just about shut down. He and Curly Hawkins and another guy … got a job building this big dam in Ohio. What happened was my father worked there one day a week. Curley Hawkins would work one day a week and then the third guy so everybody worked a little bit.” 

Roy and Ivy lived in several different locations while in Ohio. While living in Rittman they lived at 64 Grant Street (1927), 51 Salt Street (1930), and 53 Grant Street (1939). They also lived in Creston and Sterling (1937), Ohio. At one time they lived out in the country on a farm. According to Leo Brown, “my mother said my father liked to move. “ 

In the early 1930’s Roy took his family to Mississippi to visit his family there. They took pictures of the Mississippi River. They visited relatives. There are pictures of Roy’s sons, Delbert and Leo, with their Mississippi cousins. Leo Brown remembers the heat. Leo’s sister, Genevieve also remembers that trip. She said her Grandmother’s house smelled like tea and lemons. Her Grandma [Rose Ella Brumfield Brown] put big, soft feather mattresses on the floor for the children to sleep on. 

In 1941 Roy moved his family to Columbia Co., NY where he worked for two mills. One was the Midvale Paper Mill in Rossman. In Midvale he was a master mechanic in charge of repairs for the entire paper mill with a staff of eight men. Leo Brown said his father “did some blacksmithing things working at the mills.” He was the operational manager. The other was a mill in Stockport, locally known as the String Mill. 

One day, in the early 1950’s, Roy was in a local pub having a drink. There was a fire at the mill. Roy rushed to the mill. He thought someone was inside the mill and he tried to get in to save his friend. It took three men to hold him back and prevent him from going inside. Roy’s son, Leo, believes the stress of that day led to Roy’s heart attack in 1953. 

About 1954, Roy went back to Mississippi. He died there in 1956.[8] He is buried in Silver Creek Cemetery. Nearby are his parents and his brother, Hubert. 

A newspaper clipping from a newspaper in Hudson, New York has an obituary for Roy: 

“Roy J. Brown, formerly of Stockport, died Friday in Tylertown, Miss., where he had been spending the winter with relatives. The funeral was held there Monday with interment in Tylertown. Mr. Brown, 54, was a native of Tylertown. He had been a resident of Stockport since 1941 and had been employed at both the Stockport paper mill and Bonafide Mills. He was a member of the Stockport Fire Department. Survivors include his wife, who resides in Cobleskill; five sons, Delbert of Germantown, Leo of Schenectady, Larry of the United States Army, Robert and William of Cobleskill; two daughters, Mrs. Carlton Wieland of Hagman and Mrs. Elmer Sparks of Cobleskill; four grandchildren; several brothers, sisters, nephews and nieces.”

[1] 1910 United States Census, Pike County, Mississippi, ED95, Sheet 11; Line 15; Federal Archives, Pittsfield, Mass., T1269 Roll 13 (Soundex) T624 Roll 756. Jasper Brown and family.

[2] Haymon, Serena Abbess. Pike County, Mississippi School Census, 1912 & 1920.

[3] 1920 U.S. Census, Pike Co., Mississippi; 1920; Vol 48, ED 99, Sheet 6 Line 61; National Archives, Pittsfield, Mass., M1570 Roll 14 (Soundex) T625 Roll 891 (Report); NOTES: Jap P. Brown & family Simmonsville Precinct, Pike, MS.

[4] Marriage Certificate for Ivy R. Mark and Roy J. Brown, 2 August 1927, Certificate #2534, State of Ohio, Medina County.

[5] Certificate of Birth for Delbert Keith Brown, 27 July 1928, Reg. Dist. # 3451, File # 157, Reg # 29 , State of Ohio, Dept. of Health, Div. of Vital Stats, Wayne County.

[6] 1930 United States Census, Rittman, Wayne County, Ohio, Roll 1888, Page 28A. ED 23. Roy J. Brown and family.

[7] Williams, Lindsey. Arise Wild Land. Wooster: Atkinson Printing, 1982.

[8] Certificate of Death; 1956; Mississippi State Department of Health, Vital Records; 7729. NOTES: Roy Jesse Brown, died 12 May 1956 MS.

This prompt comes from Amy Johnson Crow at her blog, No Story Too Small. She suggests

we “write once a week about a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, a research problem — any that focuses on that one ancestor.” Thanks, Amy for the suggestion! 

Related Posts:

• Census Sunday - Jasper P Brown
• Census Sunday - The Roy Browns in 1940
• The Browns; A Quick Look at the Direct Line

Genealogy Travel: Louisiana - Part 2 - The State Archives

In early December my husband attended a conference at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. While he attended lectures & meetings I took off in our rental car to search out my ancestors from the area.

I was hoping to find information on these ancestors & their families:

• Jacob Alford 1761 NC – 1824 Washington, LA 4x great grandfather
• Jessie Alexander Brumfield 1838 LA – c1910 2nd great grandfather
• Nathaniel Brumfield 1813 LA – c 1850 LA 3rd great grandfather 
• Jacob Ott III 1774 SC – 1836 Washington, LA 4th great grandfather
• Wyatt Smith 1809 LA- 1894 MS 3rd great grandfather

The first repository I visited was the

Louisiana Archives at 3851 Essen Lane in Baton Rouge.

Before leaving home I had searched their website & emailed them to get an idea of their holdings. The ‘Contact Us’ email was difficult to send because it limited the size of my email. I sent an inquiry off on Nov. 6, a month before my visit. Before I left home I received a very brief response, only telling me the hours they are open. I received a second response with more information but, ironically, it was sent to me on Friday, December 6 about noon. I was in the Archives when that was sent!

I decided to visit the archives despite not having a very good idea of their holdings. At home I had added the address to my GPS and had a printed Google map for back up. From our hotel in the warehouse district in New Orleans it took me just over an hour for the drive. Most of the drive was on I 10 West which would have been nice except the day was gray and rainy.

I signed in, put my purse and things in a free locker and was given a quick tour of the genealogy resources. I found a large table to spread out my papers & pencil and started searching the shelves. I was looking for:

·         Genealogies written about my families

·         Genealogies written about other families that included my families

·         Washington Parish information that might include my families; cemeteries, churches, etc.

·         Washington Parish History that might include my family/will teach me about the area where they lived

·         The History of Louisiana at the time my families lived there

The Archives were open from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm on Friday so my time was limited. I wanted to gather as much information as possible. I went to the card catalogue and then the shelves to pull the most likely resources. I turned to the indices to look for my surnames. I copied the relevant pages, clipped them together, set them aside and reached for another book. My focus was on gathering information that I could evaluate later at my leisure.

These are the books I found that best suited my search parameters:

· Fortinberry, G. K. Abstract History of the Fortinberry Family. Privately printed, 1942.
· Hines, E. H. State Line Baptist Church 1856 - 1900 and Area Cemeteries in Washington Parish, Louisiana & Marion County, Mississippi. Privately printed, 1983.
· Hughes, Ella B. The Hughes of Tangipahoa Parish. Husser, Louisiana: Privately printed, 1983.
· Jenks, Houston C. The Descendants of Noah Lard and Elizabeth Ware. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Privately printed, 1990.
· Kerns, Gloria Lambert. Washington Parish, Louisiana Records, 1810 - 1898. Baker, Louisiana: Folk FInders, 1983.
· Magee, Zuma F., and Thelma S. Bateman. Cemetery Records Louisiana. Volume I. Privately printed, 1962.
· Magee, Zuma Fendlason, and Dixie Sylvest Moss. Cemetery Records of Washington Parish, Louisiana. Volume IV. Privately printed, 1976.
· Magee, Zuma Fendlason, and Dixie Sylvest Moss. Cemetery Records Primarily of Washington Parish, Louisiana. Volume V. Privately printed, 1976.
· Thomas, Winnie Knight, Earle W. Knight, LaVada Knight Dykes, and Martha Kaye Dykes Lowrey. The Family of John 'Jackie' Knight and Zeziah Davis Knight; 1773 - 1985. Magee, Mississippi: Robert and Delores Knight Venison, 1985.
· Williams, E. Russ. Abstracts of Obituaries from the Minutes of the Magee's Creek Baptist Association (Mississippi and Louisiana), 1882 - 1924. Monroe, Louisiana: Privately printed, 1978.

I also came away with three death certificates. A librarian went to their archives website, found my family members in the death records, pulled the corresponding microfilm reels and I was able to print these:

·         Death Certificate for Eli B. Blades, #12556, 1860.

·         Death Certificate for Jeptha Martin Alford, #7237, 1948.

·         Death Certificate for Dewitt W. Alford, #500, 1942.

I managed to get out the door before it was locked behind me. My genealogy shoulder bag was heavy with photocopies. I was hungry and exhausted. The rain was back and it was a gray drive back to New Orleans. My adventures were not quite over for the day. Once back on I 10 my GPS turned off! My husband & I later discovered a wire in the cord broke so it was not getting a charge. Fortunately I remembered my exit was near the Super Dome. I just watched for the Super Dome signs. From there I drove straight towards the Convention Center and found my hotel from there. Hurray!

Watch my blog for an analysis of my findings at the Louisiana Archives.

Related Posts:

• Travel Tuesday - Louisiana - Part 1 - Research Help Wanted
• Travel Tuesday - Louisiana - Part 3 - The Franklinton Library

A Time Capsule

The Book of Me, Written By You – Prompt 8: Time Capsule. This prompt came from Anglers Rest and I could not resist the idea!

A time capsule is both a look into the future: What will someone in the future want to learn about me? And a look into the past: Look how this person once lived. This is an intriguing topic for a post. I have never opened or prepared a time capsule but will, on paper.

If I were to assemble a time capsule I would begin with a wooden box, shaped like a treasure chest with ornate hinges and a lock with a fancy key. The key to link the past & the future, like genealogy itself. In our house we have a small secret room, built by my cousin. I will not reveal its location but our three children all know because they played there once upon a time. You can always win at Hide and Seek if your friends don’t know you have a secret place. This is the perfect location for a time capsule, hidden yet dry and safe. 

The first item I’d put inside is a quilt. I’ve made lots of quilts over the years and I’d make one especially for the time capsule with blocks that show my favorite things: flowers, cats, the ocean, a castle, books, stars and my family. I’d use colorful borders around the edge and quilt it by hand. After gnetly folding the quil tinto the treasure box I’d add books, books that I loved at various times of my life: Sleeping Beauty with gold edged illustrations; Little Women, the copy my mother gave me; Ray Bradbury’s Martian Chronicles with a small rocket ship to let the imagination soar; any book by Maeve Binchy or maybe two and, of course, any genealogies I have finished writing when I seal the box. Next I'dd add a delicate floral tea cup to sip from while reading. 

I’d like to include a photo album with photos of our family members, from our Irish roots to our family today, with every photo labeled. I’ll put in a well-worn map used by my father in his years as a truck driver and my mothers’ Rosary beads zipped in their soft pink case. I’d include things from my childhood: a set of paper dolls with a pair of stubby scissors; a large pad of paper and a big box of crayons all with sharp points; my favorite toy kitty and a velvet bag with marbles, sparkly stones and glitter. I’d carefully fold my wedding gown and veil in soft white tissue paper and lay it in the box with a love letter from my husband and the small jade pendant that was the first gift he gave to me.

I’d include things from my children: the program from one of our oldest daughter’s plays; the diploma of our second daughter when she got her PhD and the key to our son’s shiny new Mustang. I’d include souvenirs from my travels: seashells from the Atlantic, Pacific & Caribbean Seas, a soft sweater from Ireland, a pink ceramic house from Bermuda, Tiare perfume from Tahiti and hand dyed cloth from St Kitts.

The last item would go on top, a letter, handwritten by me with love. What will it say? You’ll have to wait for the future and read it yourself.

The time capsule in the treasure box will be for my future grandchild/children so they will know me as more than a faded photograph, name & dates.

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• The Book of Me