Photo of Pleasant Nelson Simpson

Isn't the Internet a wonderful tool for helping us with our genealogy? I just discovered a third cousin once removed and we've been sharing information via e-mail about our common ancestor, Pleasant Nelson Simpson, who is my third great-grandfather.

She shared with me this photo of Pleasant, with his son, grandson, and daughter-in-law, which someone else shared with her!


Circa 1903 Left to right: Pleasant Nelson Simpson (grandfather, abt 79 years old also two years before his death), Louis Poindexter Simpson (son, abt 37 years old), Dexter O. Simpson (grandson, abt 12 years old), Eva Jane Richardson Simpson (daughter-in-law, abt 31 years old). Probably taken in Texas.

My line from him goes like this:

GGG grandparents - Pleasant Nelson Simpson married Elinder Katherine Martin
GG grandparents - Emily Susan Simpson married William A. McVicker
G grandparents - Henry Ermon McVicker married Edna Mae Williams
Grandparents - Rachel Mary McVicker married Sterling Norman Beard Junior
Parents - Living
Me

Many thanks to the person who originally shared this photo and to my newfound cousin who shared with me.
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Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - My Favorite Song of All Time

This is a blog-prompt from Randy Seaver at http://www.geneamusings.com/. He writes: Here is your assignment for the evening - if you wish to participate in the Fun (cue the Mission Impossible music): 1. What is your all-time favorite song? Yep, number 1. It's hard to choose sometimes. If you made your favorite all-time Top 40 music selections, what would be #1? 2. Tell us about it. Why is it a favorite? Do you have special memories attached to this song? 3. Write your own blog post about it, or make a comment on this post or on the Facebook entry.

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1. Well, He is right. This one was difficult. To choose just one meant cutting out so many others! I asked my husband and he told me the song I had in my head as my number one (way to go Chris!). So I have to say it is: O mio babbino caro (Oh my dear papa) is an aria from the opera Gianni Schicchi (1918), by Giacomo Puccini {Wikipedia}. I have never seen the opera, but is was in the movie Room With A View with a very young Helena Bonham Carter from a very long time ago. That is the rendition I like the most, from the movie. A very similar rendition is sung by Sissel here:

2. It is so full of emotion and I love violins! And it's timeless, obviously. I love movies and music that make me cry. I majored in theater performance and I especially love the American Golden Age of musicals. Rodgers and Hammerstein, Cole Porter, Gershwin, Rodgers and Hart... When we learned to portray a character, we could justify breaking into song at that moment because you were at the height of EMOTION. I love that! "My emotions are so intense right now that all I can do to express it is SING!" Don't you love it? Try watching a musical now and NOT think about that! It speaks to me too, knowing now that my biological paternal grandmother was Italian.

 3. Done!

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Finding the Sandifer Cemetery [VIDEO]

My apologies to those of you who've been waiting to see this! I tried to upload it to YouTube and it was one minute and 17 seconds too long and had to find an alternative to post it!

This is the story of my journey to finding the burial location of my third great grand aunt. The video is about 11 minutes long.

The following shows my relationship to her (my direct line is bold):

Robert Brown married Sabra Royal
children were:
Baylons Brown
Eliza Brown
John Brown
Archibald Brown
Mary Brown
*Atha Brown (she is the subject of the video)

Mary Brown married John W. McVicker
their son, William Archibald McVicker married Emily Susan Simpson
their son, Henry Ermon McVicker married Edna Mae Williams
their daughter, Living McVicker married Sterling Norman Beard Jr.
their daughter, Living Beard had a child with Living Rodriguez
Joanne Schleier - that's me!

UPDATE (August 31, 2009) - I noticed since posting this that there is a skip in the audio at a moment when an important point is made. We had to get the manager because this cemetery is behind a locked gate! If you wish to make a visit to the cemetery yourself, you should call ahead to make arrangements.

*Hint: to watch this in full screen click the button to the left of the numbers in the lower right-hand corner.

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Letter of Dismissal Guardianship

In continuation of The Probate Records Index of Mary Brown...

This post consists of Item #5 & #6 in the above referenced index, both appearing in the same Minutes of the Court Book on page 201 (See source below).

This concludes all of the entries listed in the General Index under Brown, Mary (minor).

Transcription follows the image.

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From Keeper of the Records

SOURCE:
Henry County Probate Records Office
Minutes of the Court 1840-53, Henry County
Page 201

Photo taken with permission at the Henry County Probate
Records Office, McDonough, Georgia.
Digitized version of original - Copyright 2009 Joanne Schleier

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Transcription:

Upon the application of Sabra Brown Guardian of Archibald Mary + Atha Brown for letters of dismissian from said Guardianship

It is ordered by the Court that the clerk of this Court do issue a citation in the premises requiring all persons Interested to show cause on or before the next July term of this Court wife said Guardian should not be dismissed from her said Guardianship and that disorder be published in some public Gazette of this state according to law

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Annual Returns for 1838-1841

In continuation of The Probate Records Index of Mary Brown...

Item #4 lists annual returns from Sabra Brown to the court of Henry County (see prior post). This post is page 2 of 2.

It would appear from this document at each of the three minor children listed continue to have a slave/servant for the years of 1838, 1839, 1840, and 1841.

Transcription follows image.

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From Keeper of the Records

SOURCE:
Henry County Probate Records Office
Annual Returns Book C 1840-53, Henry County
Page 63

Photo taken with permission at the Henry County Probate Records Office,
McDonough, Georgia.
Digitized version of original - Copyright 2009 Joanne Schleier

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Transcription:

March Terme 1838

The Inferior court in session present their Honors
John C. Sheffield Thomas Marshall Talton Kemp

At this time of the court Sabra Brown was appointed Guardian of Archibald Mary + Atha Brown minors of Robert Brown Deceased and gave Bond with securities in honors of the Court

1838 December 1st
returned on assc of Archibald Brown pardant $2868 1/4
collected for Negro hire $56.00

an assc of Mary Brown pardant $32,33 1/4
collected for Negro hire $106.00

an assc of Atha Brown pardant $29.16 1/4
collected for Negro hire $86.00

1839
an assc of Archibald Brown pardant $12.00
collected for Negro hire $138.00

an assc Mary Brown pardant $6516 1/4
collected for Negro hire $175.00

an assc of Atha Brown pardant $59.46 3/4
collected for Negro hire $137.00

January Term 1841
The Inferior court in session for Ordinary business and the representation of Sabra Brown that she was desirous of remaining the guardianship from this County and had given bond in the County of Henry ordered that livve be granted her remain said Guardianship
Extract from the minutes
Alexdr Meriwether
Recorded January 31st 1842
Abel A Lunan DCCS

1840
an assc of Archibald Brown pardant $7568 3/4
collected for Negro hire $61.00

an assc Mary Brown pardant $111.00
collected for hire $61.00

an assc Atha Brown pardant $7247 1/2
collected for hire $100.00

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Annual Return for 1841

In continuation of The Probate Records Index for Mary Brown...

Item #4 is for Annual Returns that Sabra Brown was required to file once she became Guardian of her minor children, Archibald Brown, Mary Brown & Atha Brown after the death of her husband.

This annual return equated to submissions for the hire of a "Negro" or slave/servant; one for each child.

This is 1 of 2 pages for this entry. The next post will be entry #4, 2nd page.

Transcription follows image, as usual.

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From Keeper of the Records

SOURCE:
Henry County Probate Records Office
Henry County, Georgia.
Annual Returns Book C 1840-53, Henry County
Page 62

Photo taken with permission at the Henry County
Probate Records Office, McDonough, Georgia.
Digitized version of original - Copyright 2009 Joanne Schleier

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Transcription:

Annual Return of Sabra Brown Guardian for the orphans of Robert Brown deceased for this year 1841

Amount of articles furnished Archibald Brown 3624
" " " Mary Brown 5291
" " " Atha Brown 6228

Boy Servant Recd for the hire of of Negro Woman Harriet 25,00
Amount Recd for the hire of Negro Man Arthur 90,00
Amount Recd for the hire of Mavindo 3550

Sworn to before me
January 6, 1842
Abel A Lunan

Sabra "her X mark" Brown

Recorded January 31st 1842
[signed] Abel A Lunan

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Letters of Guardianship (from the letter book)

In continuation of The Probate Records Index of Mary Brown...

Item #3 is a Letter entry in Letter Book A related to the guardianship of the minor children of Robert Brown.

Transcription follows image.

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From Keeper of the Records

SOURCE: Henry County Probate Records Office

Letter Book A

1835-1852

Henry County

Page 26

Photo taken with permission at the Henry County Probate
Records Office, McDonough, Georgia.
Digitized version of original - Copyright 2009 Joanne Schleier

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Transcription:

Georgia
Henry County

Know all men by these presents that Whereas at this Term of the Inferior Court Sitting as a court of Ordinary for the County aforesaid in the year Eighteen hundred and Forty Sabrey Brown made Application for the appointment of Guardian of Archibald Brown Mary Brown and Athea Brown Orphan Children of Robert Brown Decd And the said Sabrey Brown having taken the Oath and Given the Bond Prescribed by law These are therefore to authorize and Require the Said Sabrey Brown Guardian as aforesaid to Take charge of all the goods and chattels lands and Livements Rights Credits and effects which May come into her hands as Guardian of the said Boards and also to take Charge of the Said Wards and to do and Perform all and Singular the duties required of her as Guardian of the Said Archibald Brown Mary Brown + Athea Brown by the Laws of this State in Such cases made and provided Witness the Honorable Abel A. Lernon one of the Justices of said Court this 16th Day of November 1840

William L. Gordon, CGO
Recorded this 28th Day of Nov 1840
[signed] Wm L Gordon Clerk

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Guardians Bond

In continuing with The Probate Records Index for Mary Brown ...

Item #2 is the actual Guardians Bond specifying that Robert Brown's widow, Sabra Brown, has posted the amount of $5000 dollars to the court for the guardianship bond of hers and Roberts minor children. It also obligates her to maintain, educate, and clothe them. From this point forward, she will be required to file an annual return with the court proving that she has provided for the "orphans".

It's hard for me to imagine those times for Sabra. I still do not know what it was that made her move to Henry County. Could she have already had family there?

In 1840 her son Archibald was 19 years old, daughter Mary is 16 and Atha is just 12.

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From Keeper of the Records

SOURCE: Henry County Probate Records Office, Georgia

Guardians Bond Book 1838-71, Henry County

Page 35

Photo taken with permission at the Henry County Probate Records Office, McDonough, Georgia.
Digitized version of original - Copyright 2009 Joanne Schleier

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Transcription:

Georgia, Henry County.
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS,
That we, Sabrey Brown William Adair Samuel Stigall and William Kimbell

acknowledge ourselves jointly and severally bound unto the Judges of the Inferior
Court when sitting as a Court of the Ordinary of said County, and their successors and
assigns, in the just and full sum of five thousand

Dollars, to the payment of which, well and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, and
the heirs and executives of us and each of us, jointly and severally, by these Pres-
ents. Sealed with our seals, and dated this sixteenth day of
November 1840

The Condition of the above Obligation is such, That if the above bound
Sabrey Brown
who was this day appointed Guardian of the person and property of
Archibald Brown Mary Brown and Athea Brown
Orphan Children of Robert Brown
deceased, she acknowledging of the same by acceptance of
said appointment, and of Letters of Guardianship of this date; shall well and truly
maintain, clothe and educate said orphans according to their circumstances, and
shall take good and lawful care of their persons and property according to the
laws of this State, and shall annually make a just and true return of all her
actings and doings here in, unto the said Court, then this obligation to be void: else
to remain in full force.

In Witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals, the day
and year above written,

Wm L Gordon G., C., O.
Recorded this 20th day
of Nov 1840
Wm L Gordon clk

Sabrey his "X" mark Brown L.S.
William Adair L.S.
Samuel Stigall L.S.
William Kimbell L.S.

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Letter of Guardianship (from minutes book)

In continuing to follow The Probate Records Index for Mary Brown...

Item #1 is a Letter of Guardianship from the minutes of the court book in which the widow, SABRA BROWN, posted to the court the sum of $5000 dollars bond for the guardianship of her three minor children: ARCHIBALD BROWN, MARY BROWN, and ATHA BROWN. Transcription follows image.

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From Keeper of the Records

SOURCE:
Letter of Guardianship
Book: Minutes of the Court 1840-53, Henry County
Page 49

Photo taken with permission at the Henry County Probate
Records Office, McDonough, Georgia.
Digitized version of original - Copyright 2009 Joanne Schleier

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Transcription:

Ordered by the court that Sabrey Brown be and she is hereby appointed Guardian of Archibald Brown Mary Brown and Athea Brown orphan children of Robert Brown Deceased by her giving Bond and Security in The Sum of five thousand Dollars

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Probate Records Index for Mary Brown

Well, this may not seem like much for those readers anticipating great "AHA!" images, but this is where I started on my trip to Henry County and I would like to publish what I found in chronological order, if only just because it makes sense to me. 

My goal was to find parents of my third great-grandmother Mary Brown. I began with the general index book and searched under her name finding a "minor". This proved to be the first "X" on the treasure map I was about to begin and prove to be invaluable. I am pretty sure to zoom in or download your own copy of the image just click on it. It should take you to my Web album on Picasa. So for a start, here it is: 

SOURCE: The General Index to Proceedings of Estates, Court of the Ordinary, Henry County, Georgia Book No. 1 from 1821 to Dec. 31, 1939, Henry Co. Page 55, BROWN, Mary (minor) Photo taken with permission at the Henry County Probate Records Office, McDonough, Georgia. Digitized version of original - copyright 2009 Joanne Schleier.

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Marriage Record for John McVicker and Mary Brown

This is the marriage record for my 3X great-grandparents on my biological mother's maternal line: John McVicker and Mary Brown. They were married in Henry County, Georgia, on October 20, 1842.

From Keeper of the Records

SOURCE: Marriage Record Book 1837-1851 Henry County, Georgia Page 206 Photo taken with permission at the Henry County Probate Records Office, McDonough, Georgia. Digitized version of original - copyright 2009 Joanne Schleier.

Now do you want to know why this is so awesome to me? This record is held at the Henry County Probate Records Office in McDonough, Georgia. This is about an hour drive from where I currently live. 

Back story: I was born in Texas and then was officially adopted. My new family moved to New Hampshire where I was raised. After my adopted parents divorced, my father moved to Georgia. Beginning when I was about seven years old, my brother and I spent our summers with our father. Finally, the week of my 13th birthday, our mother moved the family down to Georgia so we could be closer to our father. 

It was not until I was 26 years old that I was reunited with my birth family: father, mother and half siblings, aunts, cousins, my paternal grandparents and my maternal grandmother. They all still lived in the western United States. Nanny, as my grandmother is called, spoke of her ancestors being descended from Tennessee and North Carolina as far as she knew and with some Cherokee lineage. 

Forever the inquisitive one about both family trees, I began to take my quest for answers about my families seriously and began learning more about genealogy, joined my local genealogical society, and finally admitted my new-found obsession. My biological sister, Jennifer, got me started on our mothers maternal line. All of the information she gave me was well documented and some lines very well developed. In this particular case, the McVicker line was very well developed; yet, John's wife, Mary, remained elusive and we only knew the couple to have lived in Texas. 

My further research on this line found them earlier in Louisiana and earlier than that in, none other than, Henry County, Georgia! So, my biological line, which I didn't grow up knowing about, had lived very close to where I live now because my adopted Dad ended up moving here! Now, I do not believe in coincidence. There are no accidents. God has a plan and everything is laid out in perfect order. And so, I have come full circle back to the place of my family's origins. I am home.

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Blogging with Purpose

This blog is being specifically made for my genealogy research. I hope that it ends up being a place where I can publish my findings to share them with others. My genealogy research and findings continue to flourish, and it is something that has been consistent for years now. Knowing that, I believe this will be a long-standing blog. If we share common surnames, it will be a destination to further another's research.


And now for my little Disclaimer & Terms of Service (TOS): 


Copyright: I won't publish anything for which I do not have a source. If, by chance, I happen to forget to cite the source, please know that you can contact me and I'll be able to add that information. If I use or make mention of another persons photos or material, I will be sure to credit them. Likewise, any photographs, images or other content that you might share or use of mine, I ask that you appropriately credit me as these materials are copyrighted and link back to my site. 


Content: I am responsible for the content on this site but not the comments from visitors (I have modified settings to be able to moderate comments to eliminate personal attacks, obscene content, spam, etc.). I only have control over the content I publish in this blog and cannot be responsible for how another person may use the content found here or other sites I've linked to.


Joanne

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